Strange To The Unknown Eye
by zerowolfgirl
Summary: Raven Roth was the gothic outcast. She had no true friends, she fought to much, she talked back to much, students and teachers alike hated her. Her life was about to change. Rated for language, drinking, and violence. BBRae later SR too. Cy...someone
1. The Fight

A/N: I always wanted to try writing a Teen Titans High School story…first Teen Titans fanfic, creative criticism wanted. Oh and I'm going to base this on my town and school. Lots of fun there.

EDIT: SAYS GET RID OF LYRICS, THEREFORE I DO. I don't want to get my account erased...stupid rule...

* * *

Raven Roth was the outcast. She was "Psycho Goth Girl" as the Gotham High School population dubbed her. She had no true friends, she hated makeup and jewelry, she was rumored to practice "magic", she fought to much, she talked back to much, and the list goes on about why students and teachers alike hated her. Raven liked it that way, lots of fighting verbal and fist, and she didn't have to worry about anything except visiting her Mothers grave every Sunday, going to the local bookstore everyday, trying to pass Sophomore year, and dogging her fathers fists. She thought nothing could change.

Dear God she was wrong.

**_Beep Beep Beep._**

_Damn alarm clock…no damn the first day of school. _Raven Roth thought as she tried to shut off her alarm clock with her eyes still closed. The beeping went on until Raven ripped it out of the wall. She groaned, sat up on her circular bed, and stretched and yawned at the same time. She rubbed her violet half lidded eyes and flipped the switch on her night side lamp. Not that it helped.

It illuminated a very dark and messy room. The walls were covered in Happy Bunny posters and band posters and whenever there was a bit of room you could see her wall was blue. Her nightstand had a single picture of a young woman with a 6 year old Raven. _That was before Dad started drinking. _She had a desk with a Dell laptop and a printer/scanner. The rest of the desk was littered in homework that was probably due last week and her black notebook filled with her thoughts her poems. She had two dressers filled with black and blue cloth. Her black trench coat with random silver buckles was slung over her desk chair carelessly. Her bookcase was the only thing that was neat in her room, full of poem and horror/fantasy books it was the only thing Raven liked about her room.

She stretched and yawned some more as she walked around her cloth littered floor picking out her clothing for the first day of school. "Oh joy," Raven muttered as she put on Cargo pants with a way to large 'The Punisher' tee-shirt. It was September so Raven would not wear a sweat shirt till it got colder.

She heard a crash downstairs and froze in the middle of slipping on her trench coat. Her eyes widened in horror. She did not move an inch.

_Is he awake? Was I to loud? Is he going to hurt me again? Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…_

No other sound was heard except for Raven's ragged breathing, sweat rolled down her face and she still had not moved. She didn't move until she heard her so called father snore again. She relaxed and crept silently down to the fancy kitchen. _The only reason its this nice looking is cause of Dad's business friends._ As she tried to find some pop tarts and milk she though of her fathers' business, the 'Trigon Outfitting, and 'Tri Corps'. He was the owner of both the clothing store and the "Small-Business-Stealing-Corps" as Raven liked to call it. She looked out the window and saw a tree and the moon starting to yield to the sun. It was 6:00 in the morning. She needed to be at the bus stop at 7.

_One hour in my "house" or outside in the dark streets?_

Her father snorted in his sleep.

_The streets sound perfect to me._

* * *

At the bus stop a block away she sat down on the curb and look through her backpack that was covered in 'Beautiful' band patches. She took out a book and lay down on the side walk to read, she didn't care about the dirt, it would go away. About half and hour later she heard a car coming down the street, she put her hand behind her head and kept on reading. The car flew by and the guys in side where listening to rap. The first thing not to do around a cranky Raven was trying to rap or listening to it. The music got louder as a vein pulsed on her neck. The car stopped next to raven and the people inside started to flirt with her, which really set Raven off. Raven had pale skin with black hair and violet eyes, she looked like a person out of a Matrix/Vampire movie, and she was way underweight for a 5'8 girl. She told them to go away in the rudest manner and they threw a beer bottle at her and missed by a mile, they sped away screaming about insolent brats. Raven was pissed._

* * *

__Those fucking hypocrites._

That was the first thing Raven thought as she walked on the empty bus, as she was the first stop. She walked toward the back of the dying transportation device and sat in the back row all the way toward the window. She put on her sticker littered CD player and listened to the CD mix she made on her computer.

Soon people started trickling in on the bus, mostly in groups, and most of them called out insults to her which she was happy to return in two words her favorite finger gesture and a sick smile. No one sat in her row.

The bus started to make more odd noises and kids were making fun of the half blind driver. Raven took pity on the old man, which was a very rare thing. She hit the pause button on her CD player slipped it in her pocket and stood up.

"Hey Paul at least he can drive better then you don't you remember crashing into that tree? Nick you sick bastard shut the fuck up you can't even tell the difference between the steering wheel and the hubcap!" The insults went on an on, Raven knew she should of stopped but she was still pissed from that morning that she had to vent.

Soon Paul Nawskski snapped. The 250 lb football player got up from the first seat and sprinted toward Raven, everyone started scream random things like "Kill her Paul" and "Guy vs. girl fight? Awesome!" The bus screeched to a halt and the old man stood up yelling at Paul, who threw a punch at Raven and hit her in the cheek, her CD player clattered to the floor and she felt the beginning of a bruise as she fell and then got kicked in the face, she made an odd noise in her throat and felt a sharp stinging across her jaw line. The kids blocked the driver from getting to the fight and Paul open the emergency door and threw Raven effortlessly outside as the annoying everlasting beep echoed in the background.

_Like hell I'm going to going down quietly on my first fight of the year!_ Raven thought angrily as her head hit the pavement. She gasped as blood poured down the right side of her face and the throbbing pain made itself known. She snapped

The group they were so post to pick up while Paul ran to Raven gathered around her as Paul jumped down toward Raven. She rolled to the side and kicked him in the groin as hard as she could while still being on the ground. He stopped and kneeled down whimpering holding his damaged parts. Raven stood up slowly, holding her head which was bleeding from scratches. Her eyes showed nothing, they were emotionless as she stared at Paul crying on the ground, all the people in the vicinity where quiet, Raven looked at Paul's pathetic form. Then without warning she kicked him straight up, his jaw cracked as his head snapped up, then she slammed her foot down to his temple and he fell to the side motionless. Everything was quiet until a friend of Paul roared his defiance at Raven.

Paul's friends, most of the foot ball team, soon tackled her to the ground and started hitting her, someone was screaming and some people were trying to stop the team from killing her. The yelling penetrated her somewhat brain-dead, or dying head, which was being slammed into the ground repeatedly.

"Call 911!"

"Get off her y'all!"

"Piss off Stone!"

"GET OFF HER YOU MOTHER FUCKERS, JUST PISS OFF!"

"Hurt the fucking Goth slut!"

"SHE KICKED PAULS ASS"

"RAVEN? Get off her you fucking bastards!"

She knew that last voice…

_Garfield Logan? Why is he trying to help me? He hates me and scared of me…Right?_

Her head was slammed once again into the pavement and Raven felt, heard, and saw no more.


	2. Dreams Of A Dark Hall

A/N: Wow…14 reviews on the first chapter. Awesome man…thanks for the reviews, though I think you wont like this chapter. In the next one things will pick up a bit.

Oh and Alys, Believe me, Raven will go through a change…maybe in the next chapter. And the only reason she wore Vans is cause they hurt like hell when someone kicks you with em. My sister has a pair and she always beats the crap outta me with em.

I'll try to update every Sunday but I got a few projects due and I really got to work on them.

Thanks for reading this through Anne

Chapter 2

Raven always liked having dreams or nightmares. She always thought they represented something that will happen in her life, or something that already happened. She always had abnormal dreams; her most frequent dreamland was a barren place with sharp jagged rocks with flat tops that make paths for her. Her dreams there always went exactly the same which pissed Raven off to no end. When she first gets to "Nevermore", as she likes to call it, she is standing on a separate rock when she moves forward the other rocks form a path. Raven then walks by dead trees with weird birds that always say "Go back…" then they start hissing and grow sharp teeth and they have 4 glowing red eyes.

Raven always thought they were cool birds, then they attacked her and then about 7 more hers in different clothing styles appeared out of the ground in front of her.

Then she woke up. _Damn birds,_ was usually her first thought after waking up from a Nevermore dream.

But her current dreamland was different then all the others she had, it was new, and she didn't like it at all.

Darkness surrounded Raven as she ran through her dreams, trying to escape the pain. She ran down a dark hall toward a light that never got closer, though she never got winded, seeing the light gave her more energy. _Its like I'm solar powered…if that's the sun, _Raven couldn't make sense of why she was running where she was or what happened before darkness overtook her. She heard voices she did not know, talking in mumbles then screams. Talking about brain damage and scars, then the voices talked about Paul, saying how he got a concussion and how he may not be able to reproduce seeing as his balls were crushed. She heard talk of how someone else was hurt in the same manner as Paul's head. Then she heard a female scream that sounded strangely like her own.

"Is there any brain damage?"

"A concussion, a minor one."

"The boy has just checked himself out."

"There definitely will be a scar on her hand, seems she scratched it up pretty good on the fall."

"She was thrown out of a bus!"

"Oh…look…she got sent papers from school…damn that science teacher already has them on a project…"

"She will be fine enough to go to school on Monday sir,"

"She better be."

The last voice echoed in "her" hall. It was her fear, her pain, her nightmare, her abuser, her only family, and her father. Raven wanted to stop running, she wanted to fall into the darkness and never leave. Never have to face pain from her father ever again.

Her wish came partially true, she kept on running and the darkness stated reaching out to her, tempting her to join it in a life of no light, of pain and chaos. Raven gave into it completely, though she did scream as the darkness was crawling up her neck. Her eyes widened and she felt scared, no more than scared…Raven was for the first time in her life truly terrified.

_I'm dying aren't I? At least ill see mom again, no wait scratch that I'll be in hell. Is this how she felt? Terror before death? I'll be away from all those bastards at school. My last thought of this shitty world will be……wait till I figure out how to kill you bastards when I'm down burning in hell mother fuckers. Heh._

Just when Raven started to become completely lost in the darkness the light at the end of the hall flashed suddenly, almost threatening the darkness.

The light rushed toward Raven, illuminating her terrified face and pushing the darkness away. Ravens' eyes widened as the light became fire and the fire became a person, a man with long black hair and glowing red eyes.

Raven gasped and suddenly the hall and man was gone, replaced by a very white room, filled with ticking and beeping noises. She kept on blinking her eyes, trying to get them adjusted to the bright room.

…_My head hurts…_

Raven tried to calm her breathing and rapidly beating heart and clenched the soft fabric of the bed she was laying on.

_Why am I here? Where is here? Oh shit…damn lights are so bright._

Dark dots danced in front of Ravens' confused violet eyes. Everything was white like a…

…_a hospital? _

Raven looked around and noticed she was in an itchy hospital gown, her head felt like someone ran it over then played football with it, the heart beating machine, the damn ticking clock, the small mobile table with crappy hospital food on it, and a nurse walking in. the nurse looked quite surprised when she walked in and saw Raven clutching her head trying to sit up. The slightly bewildered nurse helped Raven into a sitting position and told her that she was in Gotham City Hospital and that she was suspended from the school bus for two weeks.

"Now dear," The nurse started in a soft tone. "You have a slight concussion but everything should be coming back to you within the day or so, your father sent you a card, and you will be fit to leave by tomorrow…which is Sunday dearie."

"O-oh, um…thanks?" Raven said while trying to look as indifferent as possible, and was failing miserably. The nurse gave her a odd look and checked her over, blood pressure, heart beat, and gave her another gown while telling her that the bathroom she had was complete with a shower stall. "Go on in whenever you want to dear," _Wha the hell…why does she keep calling me 'dear'! _The nurse continued. "But if you feel light headed at all call for help."

With that as a last note she walked out a closed the door.

As soon as Raven heard the door click she threw the covers off of her, chucked the gown on the floor, and jumped out of bed, almost fell, and sprinted to the window. She tore back the shades and looked at the busy streets below, then ran to the closet in the corner, looking for her clothing. She found a pair of huge baggy pants, a quite large black tee-shirt that looked like it had spray painted designs on it, and a way to large sweat shirt. Not her stuff but she didn't care; she was the only one in the room so she was taking it, no way was she going to wear a gown.

_Fucking hell, I gotta get out of here soon, find my own cloth…damnit!_

She ran to the bath room, stripped and turned on the hot water on and stood in front of the mirror.

_Ow._

The entire right side of Ravens' face was a big bruise. Her cheek and jaw were the worst, and at least she didn't have a black eye.

trying to figure out what happened. Images flashed around in her head, now all she had to do was try to place them in the right order and place.

_Ok, ok, gotta clam down, breath deeply, and think. What happened?_

She stood as the scalding water slowly turned cool, her black-violet hair plastered to her forehead, as she tried to remember the order of what happened that morning. She woke up, got dressed, took food, and stayed at the bus stop for an hour…then on the bus…those kids were making fun of the old man. Paul ran to the back and threw her out the emergency door.

_Great…first day of school and I get thrown out the bus…well I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who can say that to my friends…well no, actually I don't even have any friends…oh well, so sad to bad._

She remembered seeing red and hurting Paul. Then the football team attacked her, while some people tried to stop them.

_But why? Why would they help me, everyone hates me…don't they? Ouch…my head still hurts…_

Raven finished her now cold shower, and got into the overlarge cloth. She walked out and noticed someone sitting in the chair next to her bed, and that it was dark out.

_How long was I in there? Huh? Who's that…?_

She walked slowly around the chair to face a snoring Garfield Logan.

…_huh?_

Gar, as he kept telling everyone to call him, was holding a card in his large hand, his head had fallen back, and his mouth was open. And he was drooling. Gar's short messy hair was dark brown, and had green tips. Raven to the side of him and noticed he looked like he got in a fight with a truck and lost badly. His eye was black it looked like some of his teeth where chipped, and his normally long nose looked crushed a bit.

He was a very tall kid, though in middle school he was short, then in freshman year he grew 9 inches over the summer and some muscle. They "met" in middle school. They never talked but they heard about each other, Raven as the Outcast and Gar as Shrimp. Gar grew out of his nickname, but Raven stayed the same.

Her 7th grade year in school was her first year in Gotham City and it didn't end to well, everyone made fun of her because she read old books, poems, and did other things "normal" 7th graders would never do. Rumors spread and Raven soon snapped at a school dance and attacked the main ringleaders of the grade in front of everyone. Terra and Kitten, the two people who made, and make, her school life a living hell, seeing as being at her home is hell enough. Even more rumors spread and that was when Raven was officially labeled as Outcast and everyone avoided her like the plague, less they get labeled as well.

Gars' long body was spread out in the hospital chair.

He kept on snoring; she kept on staring at him.

"…"

"…zzz…dancing monkeys…."

_Oook…either he's mental or he dreams of monkeys…wait there both in the same category._

Raven walked silently toward him, intent of waking him up and then kicking him out. He snorted and dropped the piece of paper he was holding in his hand, it glided to Ravens feet and sat there waiting for someone to pick it up. Raven stared at the overly happy bear saying get well soon. A gasp from the chair made Raven look away for the hideously happy bear and look at Gar. He looked at her, his jade eyes were surprised. He stood up and looked down at Raven, who in turn was staring up at him. His eyes were…different she didn't know why but she felt like she could fall into his jade eyes and never leave. Raven broke eye contact and looked at the card. He hastily bent down to pick it up holding it out for her.

"O-oh! Um I got this for you," Gar stuttered and waved his hands around a bit. "I mean we! You took a real bad beating Friday so Me an Victor, you know Vic Stone? Football team player? Yea well we thought we could get you a card…so…yea. Oh and I got you a necklace too, I know you don't like them but I think you might like it…its taped in the card…"

"…" Raven looked at his shaking hand, still holding the card.

"So…is your head oka-"

"Why did you help me?" Raven interrupted. Gar looked shocked; he hunched down a bit and avoided eye contact.

"Well half the fricking football team tried to kill you," Gar started rubbing the back of his head. "Me and Victor tried to take em all off but well we got caught up in the fight and then the cops came and dragged you out from the mob…is it wrong to help someone?"

"Helping me is wrong, according to most people anyway." Raven plucked the card out of his hand and put it on her table. She walked over to the window and looked up at the stars that were beginning to come out. Gar walked over slowly and stood next to her.

"Helping you out was the right thing to do…jus cause you're hated by half the school doesn't mean people can't help you out!" Gar finished cheerfully. Raven started to talk back but decided to hold her tongue. She sighed and muttered a barely audible thanks. Gar beamed and looked at the clock. It was 7:00 at night. Gar scratched his head and looked at Raven. "I, uh, gotta go Rae. I'll see ya on Monday. Hope your head feels better." Gar started toward the door walking backwards. Raven turned and glared at Gar.

"DON'T CALL ME RAE!" Raven half shouted. Gar tripped and fell down. Looking at Raven in something like terror. Raven continued in a calmer voice, "It's Raven! Do you need me to spell it out? If you call me that again I will hurt you, then you'll be in this stupid hospital bed."

"N-no…Raven, I'm sorry. I-I'll see ya later!" Gar stumbled toward the door and stopped in shock by a soft voice.

"…Thanks for...caring." Raven said.

A moment of silence. Raven felt her face get hot.

_Why did I say that? WHY? Oh ow…my head still hurts._

Of coarse Garfield ruined the moment.

"Hahaha! Why wouldn't I care about you Rae? Oh wait…I wasn't supposed to call you that…oh…shit…"

Raven chased him out of the hospital till the nurses chased her back in.


	3. Life Is A Bitch With An Evil Temper

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I make up for it with a 6 paged chapter. Seeing as its spring break I will type the next chapter and hopefully get it up soon. Oh and Happy Easter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I might change this chapter a bit.

Disclamer- Argh! I forgot to add this…well you know the drill. I don't own anything you recognized.

**Chapter 3**

Raven never liked cars, or any other transportation vehicle, except her bike which had slashed tires and a long story. They were loud, messy, unsafe, and they go to fast. Just like her fathers' car now. It's going way to fast for Ravens' tastes. They sped out of the hospital parking lot at noon and Raven was not looking forward to going home. Pain existed there, a lot of pain and pure raw fear. Usually holding the necklace that Gar gave her calmed her down a little though not much, and it made her mad at Gar too. He wouldn't tell her why he helped her.

_He will pay at school tomorrow…_

The pendant was in a diamond shape only it was black, with red around the edges. It was on a long black colored chain that was long enough to go down her shirt to hide it from her father who would have threw it out the window. Raven grabbed it, the sharp edges cutting into her pale skin. She let it go after a minute, her hand was bleeding. She hid it in her hoodie pocket.

The car ride home from the hospital was very quiet, though anyone could feel the anger and tension thick in the air. Ravens father, Trigon Roth, was a very large man, not portly but very powerfully built. He was a very good actor. At the hospital he was very "happy" and respectful to the staff. He even went as far as to hug Raven, though she could have swore her ribs cracked and that it was not accidental to Trigon. Though he was all smiley and happy-go-lucky Raven knew it was all an act and confirmed it when they pulled out of the vast parking lot, he started telling her how much pain she would be in when they got home and then, to her confusion, yet pleasure, he suddenly fell silent and just glared out of the windows in the Mustang.

_Not that I'm complaining, but why is he that mad? Is Paul suing us or what? The hospital bill wasn't large at all. I might be going back in there if Dad really flips out on me tonight… _Raven thought bitterly as she sat with her arms crossed, her hand stopped bleeding, in the back seat. Cars, buildings, and people rushed by in a messy blur. Raven didn't want to go home. She would rather live in the fricking hospital the rest of her life then go to that hellhole.

Her fathers' ragged breathing filled the car had he stopped at a light and turned to glare at his apathetic daughter. Raven was currently looking longingly at her favorite bookstore, "Street Side Words". Trigon snarled and slammed his foot down on the gas, turning sharply to the right. Raven hit her already damaged head on the glass and made a sound crossed between a yell and a whimper. Her father gave a bark of laughter and slowed down as they passed the police station.

They soon went by Gotham High. _The place looks like a jail… _Theschool had bars on its windows and almost always had a shadow over it, making it look like an asylum more then a jail. From the outside Gotham High looked like it was easy to navigate but really it was a pain in the ass to find classes, when you're a freshman at least. Raven was a sophomore so she knew the school and some of the best places to run to when you want to cut class and where people hid there stashes of pot and vodka, though Raven mostly stuck with class till she was kicked out for not answering questions or just talking back to the teachers. _It's fun too. They never have anything to say after I try to prove a point before they send me to Ms. Wolfes' office, its fun there too. I get free candy…a year and they don't even notice I take that bowl…_

Her father sped up as they reached the end of the street. _A few more blocks and I'll be dead._ Ravens face showed no emotion but her hands were shaking quite a bit. Her beating would be very painful, seeing as how her father kept clenching his knuckle until they turned paper white. Raven had seen him only this angry once, when a man had cheated him out of a deal. Father had almost killed the guy. _Will the same thing happen to me?_

Her father snarled at her again.

_Most likely._

The car turned sharply again around the block speeding toward the house, a plain yet elegant two story house. Raven was scared. _Would he really kill me?_ Was the only thought running through her head. Her hands would not stop shaking and she broke out into a cold sweat. Her already pale face paled even more. She closed her eyes and felt the car jerk to a stop, Raven could already feel the pain about to be inflicted upon her. Her fathers' door opened then slammed shut. Raven took a ragged breath, her eyes still closed. Trigon jerked open her door and she flinched, and immediately started yelling at herself in her head. _IDIOT, he feeds off of pain…fucking hell…wait why isn't he doing anything? _Raven cracked open her eyes and saw her father standing above her. He looked completely calm.

Raven blinked.

He stared.

Raven blinked and unfolded her now numb arms. She was no longer scared…well maybe a little but she was more confused then scared. _Isn't this the part where he drags me into the house and beats me up? _Raven thought, quite bewildered.

"Out," Trigon started calmly in his deep voice. "Now. Your school work is up in your room. And don't expect me to drive you to school because you're suspended. It's your own fault." He turned and stomped away leaving a dazed Raven to stare as he walked into the house and looked like he was going into the kitchen. Raven slowly unbuckled her seatbelt and sprinted to the large oak doors. She shoved them open and ran up the staircase, trying to take 2 steps at a time and fell twice. She ran down the hall and toward her room that faced the front yard. She slipped as she ran in and slammed the door, locking it and lay against it, thoughts raced through her troubled mind.

Raven tried not to dwell on it and decide since it was too late to go to the cemetery to see mom she would have to make herself busy for a while. First she re-bandaged her right hand, since the deep cut on her palm was oozing. Then she paced followed by checking her e-mail. None sent her anything, just spam.

_Why didn't he hurt me? He can't care about me; he could care less if I rot in a gutter. He doesn't care about anyone……_

_I don't even think he cared about mom…_

Raven felt hate bubble up inside her, demanding to be released, to vent, to hurt. Her breathing became ragged as thoughts of her mother ran threw her mind. She tried to make her breathing normal and almost succeed when a crash from downstairs made her forget about everything and freeze. She didn't dare breathe as her fathers shouts echoed up to her room. He shouted random things at the news person. She started feeling the affect of not breathing, lightheaded, her chest constricted and burned till she took a deep breath and calmed her racing heart.

_Don't dwell on his drunken ass. He won't come up._

Raven, still breathing somewhat hard, looked into her science project, already cursing out the teacher for giving a project on the fist day of school. She looked up some things on volcanos and then tried to reorganize her bookshelf but soon lost herself in a book, an unknown world. Random shouting and the TV noises drifted up from downstairs. A sudden and very loud shout made Raven get up from reading her book and make sure the door was locked. It was, and Raven sighed. She shoved her hands in her baggy pants pockets and walked over to the window. The sun was setting on the world and darkness was taking over before the moon and stars.

Raven always loved to walk around the city at night. A 'friend' had introduced the "Shadow City" as he had said the city at night was. It turned into a habit, even after he had left, that Raven never minded and she didn't try to break it. Walking helped her think. But it brought back memories of her mother…

_**Flashback:**_

_A younger Raven was sobbing on her bed; the walls were purple and were devoted of posters and a computer. She shuddered as she heard her father scream at someone called 'Luke' about a murder and Rachel Roth, her mother. She sniffed and tried to stop crying but she couldn't. Another scream from downstairs, this time from 'Luke' made her blood run cold._

"_Rachel Roth was MURDERED! She's GONE. Now I am very sorry. She was like my sister…" 'Luke's voice cracked. Raven heard him clear his throat. Raven stared at the door waiting for him to continue. She didn't know a 'Luke'. Her mother never talked about a 'Luke'…did she? 'Luke's voice once again drifted up from the living room again. Raven opened her door so she could hear better._

"_Now…Raven is the only reason I am here. I can take custody of her and-"_

"_NO! She stays!" Raven heard a crash._

"_You never even liked her! You always wanted a son but when you found out Rach couldn't have anymore kids you started to beat her didn't you!"_

_Raven started silently crying again. Her mom got those cuts and bruises from Dad. She tensed and prepared for more crashes. When none came she stepped out the door and came face to face with a strange man. Raven froze and the man smiled gently. She looked at her feet like she did whenever her mom caught her doing something bad._

_He looked like he was the same age as her mother was, he was tall and somewhat muscular, and he looked a little weird in a business suit with his messy brown hair that looked like it was spiked. His face and feature were sharp. Raven tried not to look at his eyes. Her mom always said the eyes were the doorways to the soul, she didn't want to see his soul, she had a feeling all she would see was pain and sadness. She looked to the ground and started to go back into her room but the man had grabbed the door and Raven winced and started crying again._

"_Hey kid, don't cry," His voice was gentle and kind. He held out his hand and Raven stared fearfully at it "Its alright…I won't hurt you. My name is Luke. I am…was a friend of you mother, Rachel." He still had his hand out and Raven was confused. Did he want to shake hands? He put his hand on hers, which was on the doorknob. His hand was soft and warm but had calluses, the sign of a worker. He gently pulled her small shaking hand off the door and tugged her to follow him down the stairs. _

_Raven was young and naïve, and being that she believed Luke and followed him down the stairs to her waiting father. He looked at the two of them and threw a vase at the door, and then he stormed into the kitchen. Luke sent a hateful glare at Trigon and sighed. He bent over and picked the shaking Raven up. He took long steps over the vase pieces and out into the cool night air. It was summer so no one wore a coat. Raven clutched at Luke's smooth shirt and looked up. She didn't mean to but she looked right into his beautiful eyes. They were a jade green mainly but had blue flakes, and sparkled at the amazed look on Raven's face._

"_What's so startling little one?" He gave a mischievous grin as they walked away from her home. Raven gave a little smile but didn't say anything. They two blocks in silence until Raven had to ask, "How…did you know my mommy? She…never said anything about…a Luke…" Raven said this so quietly that she was amazed that Luke even heard her. But he glanced at her then sighed. He put her down and motioned her to walk onward, more into the heart of Gotham City. Luke seemed sad to Raven, his eyes lost the sparkle and he seemed tenser. _

"_You know, your mother liked to take walks like this," Luke started solemnly. "Sometimes when we were kids she dragged me and my wife, well she wasn't then but hehe, well she would get us out of bed and we would go to clubs or just walk around the "Shadow City" as I dubbed it one night…" He drifted off, an odd look on his face. He walked faster toward a graffiti covered building. A lot of the windows were boarded up. Garbage was littered around the house edges. Raven had to run, tripping a few times, to keep up with Luke, who walked with catlike grace. Luke walked up to the fence that was blocking off the building and looked at Raven, who was running across the street, in amusement._

"_You…look like her," He started as Raven stood next to him, looking at the building then him. "Rachel…was talking about you about a week ago. She wanted me to take care of you if something happened to her; she thought it would be good because I have older son and another your age."_

_Raven nodded and looked at Luke; he looked at the building for a second before his deep voice continued,_

"_I think she knew someone was after her…today she was supposed to divorce your father and take you to live with my family…but the papers were never signed, so I can't do anything. You have to live with your father…"_

_Raven wiped her eyes and nodded again. She didn't want to talk. Luke was doing a good job at that._

"…_I need to leave the state for my work. I'm a genetic," He turned to grin at Raven. "Interesting work…but to bad my sons don't find it interesting at all…" He sighed and ran his hand through his already messy hair. They stood in silence until Raven tugged on his sleeve and pointed toward the building, a questioning look in her eyes. He smiled._

"_This was our hideout, your mother, my wife, and me, when we wanted to get away, it can be yours too, I want you to, when your older of coarse, take walks in the Shadow City when you have something on your mind and take your closest friends, and if your like your mother and which I think you are, to this place and…hehe…well be friends and, at the risk of sounding corny, never let them go…can you promise me that?" He asked; his beautiful eyes were earnest, they sparked with hope. Raven looked at him and opened her mouth and talked to him for the last._

"_I…I promise…"_

_**End Flashback**_

Raven sighed as she looked for her trench coat. She was going out, she needed to think. After she found it she tugged it on and grabbed her keys, just incase her father locked the door. She walked toward the window and hesitated as she stopped by her bookshelf. She had a knife hidden in one of her books, and though she never had used it, the city could be very dangerous.

_Do…I need it?_

She heard a distant scream in the city, it cut off abruptly by a gunshot.

_Yes indeed… _She thought idly as she rummaged through her books.

The knife was never used, fighting-wise, but it looked worn and ragged. The handle was black and smooth; the blade was about 6 inches, it had some chips in it and was a white silver color.

She put it carefully in her pocket and continued to the window, her second door so to speak. She jerked the window open as far as it would go and ripped the screen out of the window and threw it on her bed. She put her legs out first then lowered herself onto the flat part of the roof. Raven walked over to the edge of the roof, the cold air blowing her hair and coat askew. The drop was only 10 feet so Raven jumped and with a loud thud landed in a bush.

To bad it was a thorn bush.

_Oh Fuck! Ouch! God damn ouch! _And other phrases were running through her mind as she stumbled out of the bush, trying to pull the thorns out of her and run from the house at the same time. She didn't want her father going to investigate the noise. She ran, bleeding an imbedded with thorns, 4 blocks before she got the last thorn out of her neck and tried to catch her breath. The cold air scorched her lungs. It took about 5 minutes before Raven could breathe without sharp pains. Raven had her hands on her knees and was panting when she noticed she was by her favorite bookstore. It was closed, seeing as the tall auburn haired employee locked the door and run to a waiting car. The person was new, Raven knew everyone in that store and none had red hair.

The car sped away as she took a few short breaths before she started walking again, in no particular direction. As she continued to an unknown destination, even to herself, she heard shouts and saw a group of teenagers. They looked like dropouts, and it looked like they were not happy with something on the ground by an alley. It looked like an old man, and there were about 5 kids, most just laughing at the old man while one or two actually had the guts to hit him and insult him. Raven put her hand in her pocket, seeking her knife. She gripped the handle, took a breath and shouted toward the odd group.

"Hey! Dirtbags, what you doing out here at this time of night, got nothing better to do then beat up some old guy?" Raven asked and waltzed toward the group that was now glaring at her. A kid that looked like the leader stepped around the homeless guy and towered over Raven, trying to intimidate her. He was a very dirty kid Raven noticed as she looked at him unfazed. Raven had seen his type before, all talk. She hated guys like that, they didn't have any backbone. The dirty kid growled, mad he hadn't scared the small girl in front of him. "Why don't chu run home to yo mama lil girl, sure she worried." The kid said with a heavy accent.

"My mom ant home, but why don't you running to your mom? Cause if you don't right now she'll be trying to identify your body out of this gang meeting." Raven said monotonously. She looked a lot more confident then she felt, Raven still didn't know if they had weapons. The kid snarled and looked at the bum then back to Raven, looking like he was trying to decide something. Suddenly he gave a sick smile, his rotting teeth showing. Raven tensed and started pulling the knife out slowly. Dirty-Kid ran at her and stopped abruptly when a cop siren sounded, red and blue lights flashed in the street. He looked at the gang a screamed, "Run!"

The gang ran away past Raven and disappeared around the corner, though Raven heard one threaten her.

Raven looked toward the flashing lights an saw a cop car speeding down the street; she looked at the homeless man and grabbed his rotting jacket. She dragged him into the shadows of the alley as the cop cars past.

They weren't seen apparently, the car sped by following the gang of dropouts.

Raven calmed her racing heart and looked at the shaking bum. He looked like he was long overdue for a shave and all his clothing, coat, shirt, pants, gloves, etc., were tattered rags. He looked up at Raven in, something she would call, respect. Raven blinked and sighed, she started to walk away. The old man hacked and coughed and then tried to get comfy against his "Home", which was a cart a large box and a few blankets. The old man cleared his throat. Raven turned and glared, she had to get out of there before cops came back.

"Yea old man? Something you want to say?"

"You don't seem the type to save people without reason young one," The old mans' voice was gruff due to the exposition to the night air. Raven thought about his words, first she helped the bus driver, now a homeless man.

_I'm going soft._

Raven growled at the thought and turn around fully to the man.

"Your right, I'm not. And if I see it again, don't expect me to do a repeat of tonight. Good night." Just as Raven was turning she heard the old mans voice again.

"You're different then most kids," He started, "You're bound for great things. If only you would let them happen."

"Don't talk like you know me."

"Does anyone? Do you even know yourself?" he prodded gently.

"Nope and I plan to keep it that way old man." Raven said as she started walking down the street, pulling her hood up to cover her face. Another habit of hers, though it was one without a story.

_Who does that old geezer think he is? Does he honestly think I can-_

"Plans fail you know, people die, and new ones are born. Even in the existing ones rebirth can happen…though to few. I think your one of them young one. Don't throw your life away." Raven heard the sound of a squeaky cart being pushed away.

…_I hate…aw fuck it I'm going home. To much…wait is that the police?_

Raven ran the entire way home only trip into her new friend, "Bitchy Bush". Though Raven added a few more phrases at the end of it.


	4. School or Prison?

I forgot to add something's in this chapter, sorry but it should be fixed now. Oh and VOTE if you want me to start putting in something like…"In the next chapter…yadayadayada…"

A/N: Whoa, this chapter was fun to write. Hehe…now the next chapter should be out by Monday… but well shit happens. I forgot to add something's in this chapter, sorry but it should be fixed now. Oh and VOTE if you want me to start putting in something like…"In the next chapter…yadayadayada…"

Thank you for editing this chapter Alys!

**Now Review responses-**

**Lord Augustus- **Thanks, and I'm only using Ravens name cause that is her real name. all the other names are there real ones. And I might make this into a original story…just changing people, names, and just about everything else around…that'll take a while…oh well…

**MistOfDarkness- **Hehe…so you saw the clues? Well we will have to see if Luke is really Gar's dad…

**JeeZdragon-** Hey Jess! Haha. Well if you were speeding by the cop station wouldn't you slow down?...Well actually now that I think about it in our town the cops do jack shit. And about the standing up to the gang. Raven saw they didn't have weapons and were only screaming at the old man, they didn't hurt him, they were all talk…and I'm sorta stuck on the other story. Hehe…

**Devilleader- **thanks! And the guy just threatened her…ya know "Oh watch your back," that kind of thing…

**They-Call-Me-Orange**…- You really think its good? Huh, here I thought I would delete the story after I posted the first chapter…and here we are, 34 reviews for only 3 chapters…

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Disclaimer- I don't own anything you recognize.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Raven was used to pulling all-nighters—night always offered a good time for her to write and think—but she never really stayed out late when she had school the next day. She always wound up even more tired if she slept briefly in the early morning hours, instead of just not sleeping at all and taking naps during the day at school. And Raven never wanted to miss school, lest she miss some form of entertainment, and her nap time. But it was not the case that September morning.

Raven had a mission that Monday: she needed to "talk" to Garfield Logan, try and figure out the real reason he helped her, and why he and Victor Stone had taken a sudden interest in her well-being.

Too bad she never used the phone, or she might have looked him up in the yellow pages…too bad Raven burned the yellow pages with her father's leftover vodka three weeks ago. She had a lot to do today, seeing as how she planned to actually get to and stay in school. Maybe Paul wouldn't try to kill her today; if she was lucky, the football team wouldn't mob her either. At least she wouldn't be traveling on the bus—all the people she didn't want to get into a fight with were there. But since _they_ were football players and gave the school popularity and press points, they probably only got detentions as punishment…or nothing at all. Raven realized with a tinge of annoyance that she had to walk.

_Note to self: don't ever stay up till three in the morning only to get up four hours later…_

She was in pain. Her head ached, and her right hand throbbed from the cuts the necklace had given her the afternoon before.

_That constant ringing is _not_ helping my head…oh, that's the alarm clock…_

Raven slammed down the snooze button, looked at the time (seven, she recognized with an inward groan), and got up, still dressed in the clothes she had worn the night before.

"Whoa…I must've passed out if I didn't even take off my sweatshirt," Raven muttered, her voice rough from sleep. She stretched and yawned a few times before rummaging through her closet for clean clothes. She pulled out a black hoodie with an odd-looking skull she had air spray-painted on it a while ago, a pair of dark blue pants, and a rather plain-looking black T-shirt. Raven put all the clothing on, stopping at random intervals only to brush her teeth and apply deodorant.

This morning, Raven didn't even try to be quiet. Her father had to go to work this week. Trigon went in every other week, but sometimes he went in for a few weeks, then took a few days off.

Amazingly, she barely opened her eyes during her morning ordeal. At seven-twenty she wound up dumping her head in the kitchen sink to wake herself up as she waited for her toast to finish…well, toasting. After a minute underwater, her lungs were ready to explode. She flung her head to the surface and took deep breaths as she shook her hair out and ran her fingers through it, trying to tame the unruly amethyst strands. Finally, she grabbed her brush and gave it a few quick strokes.

Raven grabbed her toast, her book bag, and her CD player, putting in some of her favorite music and starting off on the mile-long walk to her school. She munched on her meager breakfast as she strode down the sidewalk. The cool air felt good against her warm skin.

On her way, she stopped by the window of her next-door neighbors' house. They had moved out last week, and it seemed like the new people were already moving in, even at six in the morning…though the workers didn't look too happy about it.

Through the window, Raven caught a glimpse of a family picture and saw the strange family. The adults looked normal enough, but the two children—both girls—looked like polar opposites. The taller girl had long black hair and odd, blue-black eyes. Raven didn't like the look in them; it was that same, somewhat evil glint that Terra's and Kitten's had. The other girl looked like a very bright person; only she had a true smile, where the rest of the family had a tiny smirk or a grim, stony expression. She had long red hair, and strange tinges of dark green shone in her light green eyes.

It seemed that Raven had stuck around the house too long, and she was chased away by a few very grumpy workers and a large man, almost as big as her father, with an eye patch. Raven ran toward her daytime prison.

* * *

Her music blared in her ears. She couldn't hear anything except Marilyn screaming "mOBSCENE" things.

_If a bomb went off next to me, I would be asking, "What was that noise?" _Raven thought somewhat merrily, a very rare thing indeed. Raven continued listening to her music until she was about a block away from her school. She stopped and kneeled to put her CD player away by a toy-littered yard. As she started to zip up her patched bag, she heard a huge crash and a female scream come from inside the house.

It cut off abruptly. Raven froze and looked up at the house, only to find it silent and still.

…_I wonder…should I be afraid?_

A little kid with messy blond hair and green-blue eyes who looked about six years old came running and shrieking out of the house, naked.

…_Yes. I believe I should be **very** afraid._

The boy ran up to her and stared at her.

Raven blinked. "…Great, little naked boys are staring at me…" she said dully.

A very hassled-looking middle-aged woman came running after the little boy, who ran in front of Raven, giggling. The woman ran her thin-boned hands through her dirty blond hair and looked at Raven with apologetic blue eyes. Her glance shifted to her son, and she shoved a pair of underwear on the now-shrieking boy.

"Get back in the house and put your clothes on," the woman said calmly. Raven admired her self-control.

"But—"

"Now, Tommy!"

The boy dubbed "Tommy" sulked back inside, where Raven heard another crash. Raven was still on the ground, looking at the house weirdly. The woman sighed and took deep breaths, as if she had been to an anger management class recently. She turned and looked down at Raven.

"I'm very sorry; his brother must have gotten him all excited before he left…that must be why he left so early…" the woman rambled on about her other son as Raven stood up and tugged on her backpack. "Oh, my name is Marie Logan; perhaps you've heard of my son—"

"Garfield?" Raven interrupted, looking at the house, then back to the smiling Marie, trying to find a resemblance. Marie didn't seem at all mad that she had been interrupted.

"Why, yes," she said, thoughtfully studying Raven's face, eyes, and hair. "And you're Raven, aren't you…? So you do look like…her…"

Raven ignored the last part; it was like Marie was talking to herself rather than Raven. _…I'll…be polite…yeah…_

"Yes, I—"

Raven was cut off by a bus honking and various kids screaming at her.

"Well, well, the bird has risen from her hospital bed."

"She's going to get her ass kicked today; Paul'll be out for blood!"

"You better watch your back, girl! Don't even think about crossing us!"

"Yeah, don't you try and cross us, Goth bitch!"

Raven closed her eyes and suppressed a groan; she recognized Terra and Kittens' voices as the last two. _And **why** can't they come up with anything original?_

Marie just looked oddly at the vehicle as it roared away. "Well…that was interesting," she said dully, eyeing the bus that was turning into the school lot. "But you might need to get to school soon; the bell will ring in a few minutes. Feel free to come to our so-called 'house' anytime; Gar has told us all about you and we hope to see you sometime. You might get along with our daughter."

Marie gave a smile and waved, walking away toward the house. Crashes and random screams made Raven run the rest of the way to school.

* * *

The building looked a little less foreboding than it did when Raven was coming home from the hospital, but now it really did look like a jail from all the weirdo kids running around. Some were even screaming about making bombs and guns to destroy the school. The teachers outside didn't even try to stop the screaming teenagers, they just yawned tiredly. Raven sighed, got her schedule out, and trudged up the steps in a manner that suggested she was about to be crucified. Some of the teens noticed the death-walking girl and stopped to stare at her. Whispers echoed around her, forming rumors, no doubt. Raven, used to this type of behavior, continued on her way to the large metal doors, seemingly indifferent to the rude things said around her.

_Where's Logan?_

A person giggled at her.

_Why am I here?_

Giggles turned into laughter, coming from all around her.

_I'll stab my wrist with my pens before the day is over…won't I? Dear god I won't last the day._

As Raven walked through the doors, she started wondering why she even went to school. _It isn't a place to learn, it's a place to rot our brains out with useless equations in math, confuse us with our English language even more, learn a language that we will forget the second we graduate, see how fucked up our world history is, and beat the crap out of each other in this so-called "safe environment."_

Raven looked at her schedule and started walking toward her first class: math.

…_Great…_

Given the rules to any mathematical problem, Raven could figure it out. She was great at math. But that didn't mean she liked it. Not at all. All her past teachers were lunatics.

She stood outside the door to her math class, room 15, and sighed. Raven eyed the door cautiously; it had a British flag draped over it. She moved to the side and sat down slowly; she already wanted the day to end. Raven apathetically took out her black notebook, wrote a bit, and then looked around the empty halls.

The school had three floors: the basement, the ground floor, and the second floor. Raven and the other higher classmen had figured out an easy way to find classes and lockers: when a class or locker had the number one as the first number, that meant that it was on the ground floor; but if the number was in the teens, then it was located in the basement; and if the number was a two, it meant you'd better start running up the stairs to the top floor. There weren't two hundred classrooms, of course; the school board just thought it might be easier to navigate the building if the numbers were like that.

_It just makes it more confusing, really…_

The sudden sound of light, quick footsteps made Raven snap her head up and get into a position that would allow her to make a speedy getaway. Around the corner, however, came not Terra or Kitten or even the football team. It was one of her new neighbors—the kid, the redhead, who was looking at a piece of paper while trying to balance her many books.

Raven noticed she was tall; very tall for a girl. The redhead looked relieved at the sight of Raven, and started walking over to her crouched form.

_Damnit, I don't want to help her! I just want to write…well go home anyway…._

"Excuse me, I am Kori Anders," the girl started cheerfully. "I am sorry to interrupt your writing, but I am new here and searching for my math class. I am afraid I do not understand these numbers and such."

Raven stared at her. _Is she for real? Who really talks like that…? God, I can't **wait **to see what happens when Terra finds her. I pity her._

Kori looked so hopeful for help; apparently some people had already been mean to her. Raven sighed, wondering with mild disgust why she was being so helpful lately, playing the hero and that sort of thing. It didn't matter, though. She held out her hand.

"Name's Raven Roth, now let me see your schedule," Raven said monotonously. Kori handed over the sheet of paper, still smiling. Raven almost gagged; how could she be so happy? This early! She shook her head and looked at the room number of the redhead's math class.

_Oh shit. Wait…oh my God. She has almost the same schedule as me. She has math, lunch, English, science, gym, and advanced writing with me!_

"Friend? Is there a problem? Did I insult you? Did I—"

"No!" Raven almost shouted.

Rather startled at her own volume, she continued in a softer voice, "No…you didn't do anything; your…math class is right here…"

"Oh, joy! I have a new friend that—"

"I'm not really your friend," Raven stated bluntly. She looked at the now-drooping Kori and felt a pang of guilt.

_Damn me and my emotions. They are evil little bitches…_

Raven started to talk again, to make up for her rudeness. Kori looked hopeful as she did, but someone interrupted her.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the bitch. Heard you got the shit beat outta you by Paul."

It was Terra.

_Oh shit. I don't want to get suspended again…when I know where she lives._

"What do you want, Terra?" Raven asked in a boring tone. Terra Markov was the supposed "Queen" of the school. She was pole-skinny, of average height, and blonde, and she must have been good in bed because the football team did anything she asked. She was the co-captain of the cheerleading team and a great fighter.

She had two shells. The act, Angel Terra, who did everything the adults asked, obeyed the rules and never got into trouble. Bitch Terra, whom Raven suspected wasn't an act, broke all the rules, rebelled against the adults, and was always in trouble. She always showed the Bitch whenever Raven was around. She was part of the popular group, along with Kitten Moth, another Raven-hater.

Though Terra could fight, Kitten was always too afraid—she might break her nails. God, Kitten could impale someone with those nails. She was the same as Terra as far as features went, but she was a lot prettier and more of a rich, spoiled brat. Kitten was loud and had an odd obsession with a kid named Richard "Dick" Grayson. She was the captain of the cheerleading team, and from what Raven knew, it was she who had started the rumors.

"Heh, just to ask why your sorry ass is still around here. Or maybe you _want_ to get it kicked again?" Terra said snobbishly. Kori looked confused. Cautiously, she set down her books and began to walk toward Terra.

"Please, why do you say such rude things to my friend? It does not seem like she did anything of harm to you." Kori was towering over Terra, who looked startled.

Then she smirked and raised her hand. "So you're _friends_ with this freak? Then you're going to be treated the same way that bitch is."

"Kori, wait—don't go near—" Raven started toward them.

A loud slap echoed across the empty hall.

Kori gasped and stumbled back, holding her swelling cheek.

Raven charged at Terra, who was in turn getting ready to hit Raven. But heavy footsteps made Raven and Kori freeze in place, while Terra quickly flipped the both of them off and ran down the hall to the stairwell.

Raven dropped out of her fighting stance and looked at Kori, who had a somewhat shocked and confused expression on her face. Kori looked into Raven's eyes. They clearly asked each other one question: "Why?"

"Hey ladies, what's goin' on here? And how you feeling Raven, ya took an ass-whooping on Friday. There's talk about Paul being transferred. Gar did visit you in the hospital, right? He didn't skive out?"

The two girls turned to look at Victor Stone, a very tall and muscular African-American boy with brown, gray-flecked eyes and brown hair. Vic, as he liked to be called, was a famous football player, well-known in the school.

"Nothing is going on here," Raven said, trying to relax. "And I'm fine."

Victor looked from Kori's swollen cheek to Raven's tense form. He started to say something, but when the bell rang and students poured into classes, he was lost in the crowd.

Raven picked up her book bag and took Kori's books into the still-empty classroom. Kori followed Raven as she set all the books by two desks in the corner of the very white room.

"Thank you…may…may I call you my friend?" Kori looked at Raven hopefully.

_She must not have had a good morning if she still wants to be friends with me, the outcast._

Nevertheless, Raven sighed and offered a small smile.

"If we're both alive by the end of this class, then yes, you can," she said while getting out her algebra books. Kori beamed and did the same.

Raven quickly realized that being Kori's friend was going to involve a lot of…conversation. She might have to get used to this. The friendly girl started happily chattering about her old school, her family, and math. Raven simply nodded every now and then, to let Kori know she was listening.

When Kori started asking why Raven was hated by a lot of people, and what exactly had _happened_ during the 'incident' with Paul, the door slammed open, and every student in the room either jumped or shrieked…or both. An odd-looking man who bore the British flag as a suit walked in with his arms full of algebra books.

"All right my duckies, time for you lot to get yourselves introduced to the world of algebra!" the odd-looking man shouted at the class in a heavy British accent. He wrote his name on the board, much to the pain of the class as the chalk kept making those high squeaking noises. "Name's Moddy, lot, now get your books out!"

Raven groaned and slammed her head on the desk as "Moddy" took attendance, making cracks at most of the students' names. Including Kori's and Raven's.

_Where's my pen? I need to kill myself so I can get out of this freak's class. I can't stay in here for 48 minutes every day. Oh. He's talking. Wonder if I should be paying attention to him…_

* * *

After the bell rang, signaling that students had five minutes to get to the next class, Kori waved a farewell to Raven and began on her long search for the global studies room. Raven sighed and started walking toward her art class. It was probably the easiest class to find, seeing as the entire hall was strewn with random paintings. Bright paintings. By the time Raven was standing outside the classroom door, her eye wouldn't stop twitching.

Raven jerked the door open with a growl and looked around the messy classroom. Only one person was in the room with her, and it wasn't the teacher. It was Garfield Logan, it had to be; no one else had that kind of spiky-greenish hair. His back was to her as he painted on a canvas.

_Perfect time to have that…"talk" with him._

Raven dropped her heavy backpack and strode over to Gar, who was still preoccupied with his painting. She was about to grab the back of his wrinkled shirt when she caught sight of the dark-looking canvas. She couldn't breathe.

It was _her_.

More specifically, it was her with black wings, wearing some sort of medieval armor. The armor was scratched and scuffed. The Raven in the painting was holding a battered sword and looking toward the sky, though her eyes were not open. She was crying. She was in a dark, deserted land that had strange red streaks across the ground.

_It looks so real…_

Suddenly Garfield turned around, his face covered in paint and shock.

"R-Raven…? Wha…what are you doin' here? You're not supposed to be here, are you?" he stuttered.

Raven regained her composure and cleared her throat. For some reason, she still couldn't breathe.

"Ehem…well, Logan, I have this class," she managed to say emotionlessly, never removing her eyes from the painting. "That would usually mean I stay here, if I decide to be 'good' and stay in school. Now we need to talk about a…a few things. First, why did you—"

"Ahh, it is good to see some students appreciate the study of art," a voice behind them piped up.

Raven tried to suppress a snarl, failed, and turned to look at the chest of her teacher…a woman, no doubt. Raven snapped her head up, feeling her face heat up with annoyance and embarrassment, and glared at the teacher and the students starting to trickle in. The teacher was wearing a smock, and she was very dirty— there was dried clay on her hands, and her smock looked like it was bleeding with all the red paint doused over it. She had messy brown hair tied into a sloppy bun. An average Jane.

_Why does everyone want to interrupt me today! Stupid teachers, stupid…people._

Some noises behind her made Raven turn and look at Gar, who was putting his painting away, toward the back of the room. Raven almost ran to her seat. No one sat near her…not that it surprised her.

Garfield stayed to talk to the teacher for a moment, and before he walked out of class, he stopped by the door. Conveniently, the bell rang as he shot a shaky grin at Raven…who in turn decided to snarl at him. In his haste to get out of the classroom, he ran into (and slammed his head against) the door.

_Good job, _Raven thought coldly as she watched him scramble up and run for it, his face gone from her memory almost as quickly as it disappeared from her vision.


	5. Green Plants and Red Rimmed Eyes

A/N: Um…yea….hi…well this piece is not edited. This is a mini-chapter, thanks to Anne's idea. She gives me lots of ideas really…especially that quote…You will see that in later chapters. But let me explame this mini-chapter thingy.

Every now and then I'm going to shove a mini-chapter in, without Raven. Just Kori, Victor, and Rich. Raven may make small entries but the point of view is focused on those characters, just shorter then the originals. Also I can NOT write Koris' "Happy-Go-Lucky" attitude. It just isn't…well my type of writing. But I'll try my best considering Kori is Ravens' best, and currently only, friend. Or Rich for that matter. The other three I will have no problem with…hopefully.

…

Have any ideas, anything you want to see, besides sappy romance and death (though I may consider it) send me an email or just type it in a review. I'm open to ideas, which I shouldn't be cause I have two pages full of them, only 4 have been completed.

Also I may not be able to update a lot for two reasons,

Regents are coming up. I might need to study considering I failed the Mid-term

I can not get a hold of Alys, who edits my chapters…

…

(Stuff in chapter references)

Oh and Mrs. Tockiuchi is based on a real person. Never met her cause I haven't gotten ISS or detention…though it will be very soon I believe…no idea how to spell her name either…

$250.00 is how much people in my town pay for that stuff…how do I know you ask? Well that is my little secret, but I am NOT a pot head.

Yeah, longest authors note I've ever written. Now the review responses.

**_PawPaws_**- Thank you! And honestly, I do not think this is publishing material…

**_MistOfDarkness_**- Actually, Star showed up in the last chapter. Subtle hint…sorta. Now you had me cracking up! The real Trigon waiting at a bus stop with other demon-like people…hehehe... mental image. My math teacher is from NYC teaching drugie kids. If he didn't look like a penguin, have a weird voice, or be obssed with giving HW and not checking it, I might consider him normal.

…

Naw…

**_They-Call-Me-Orange_**- Thank you! I have seem some awesome AU stories, though there are bad ones too…but oh well thank you!

**_devilleader_**- Thank you! And a prison indeed….chocolate bunnies are gooood…

**_blackfire-the-best_**- I wrote I wrote! gives a sick/weird/evil grin That was my favorite part…many more things like that are sure to come. I mean, Gar is the comic relief guy…

**_Wrathchylde_**- Thank you! Gar ain't a stalker! Heh. But Raven is my favorite character and she fits in with what I love to write, thus this fic.

**_hoshi-ko88_**- Thank you!

* * *

_Perhaps I should of asked friend Raven where the Global wing is…_Thought a very distressed Kori.

Her day had started out very bad. First she had woken up to early by the movers and had not been able to fall back asleep. Then her sister had taken all her makeup and threw it at cars. And then Kori had been made fun of by the teachers in the office and the students. Except for Raven. Though she had been somewhat mean, she had said that Kori could be her friend. _It did look like she needed a friend…_

Kori continued to wonder around the school, trying to find her class, even after the bell rung. About ten minutes after the bell rang, no one but the kids that cut class were out in the halls. Kori saw that they were drinking from a bottle with clear and vile smelling liquid, and they seemed to be handing out bags filled with a green plant in exchange for a lot of money. Kori saw someone give $250.00 for a single bag.

Kori walked as fast as she could past the groups of kids, but some were starting to notice her.

_Oh no…_

The kids started looking at her, taking her in with their calculating bloodshot eyes. Kori continued to walk down the hall timidly…until she heard the sound of feet right behind her. Kori started to run down the hall, the echo of feet pounding made her run as fast as she could. The stairwell was around the corner and as Kori turned around it she ran straight into a "Squishy-Wall", which gave a loud grunt. Kori gasped, closed her eyes, and fell back waiting for impact with the ground to come. Instead strong arms grasped around her, halting her collision with the ground.

Kori opened her shocked and confused eyes to look into a pair of sunglass covered eyes. She slowly blinked and stepped backward, breaking the hold between the tall boy and Kori. She stepped back to get a look at her "Savior".

The kid wore very dark sunglasses that shielded his eyes from view. His midnight black hair was mussed, and his wrinkled tee-shirt and jeans made Kori think of a poor person.

Or someone who woke up very late and had no clean clothes.

Kori snapped out of her daze as the kid coughed and made a mean face at someone behind her. She turned to look into the gaze of a drunk teen, the one that was chasing her. Kori gave an "Eep," and ran behind the sunglasses boy, who in turn looked at her with an almost shocked face. But he turned back to the drunk and said with an amazingly calm, but cold, voice, "Leave. Now, before I change my mind."

The kid took of running, almost running into the door.

An awkward silence filled the empty stairwell. Kori blinked and looked at the now blushing boy. Kori decided to try and make friends, like she did with Raven. Kori beamed at the boy.

"Hello, thank you for scaring away the other boy with red-rimmed eyes! My name is Kori Anders what is yours? Will you be my friend like Raven?"

The boy looked amused. Very amused…

"Your welcome," Rich started with a amused voice, so unlike the cold one before, "Names Richard, Rich if you want to call me that, Grayson. And about the friend part…well we'll see…now, aren't you supposed to be in class?"

Kori visibly drooped at the last part, and she tried to avoid eye contact.

"Er…well I am new to this place and it is so big! I do not know where the global class is…" Kori muttered, looking embarrassed. She heard a little chuckle and winced.

_He is laughing at me…just like all the others…_

"It's ok, everyone gets lost every once and a while…just some more then others." Rich said. Kori blinked.

_Perhaps... he is not like the other laughing people..._

He started walking up the stairs, motioning for Kori to follow. She felt she could trust this...Rich, just like she could trust Raven.

"What is your teachers' name?" Rich Started as he took long strides up the stairs. Kori jogged to keep up.

"Mrs. Tockiuchi. Is she your teacher?" Kori asked as she ran up the stairs toward the waiting Rich. He gave a sigh and nodded. "Yea, she is a bitch really... always giving out detentions for no reason... and all the other things teachers do to us..."

Kori, thoughconfused, contiued on to the class with her other new "Friend". He was almost like her protector, whenever the high guys tried to make a pass at her Rich always made them go away and he always asked Kori if she was alright. She did not mind this treatment at all, but one thought strached at her mind.

_Why does he refer to our teachers and adults, elders, as a female dog?_


	6. Of Notes And Fights With Food And Locker...

A/N: Oy…Life sucks ya know? Lots of crap is going on in my life right now. Personal things, evilish darkish things…whatever. Not like you guys want to here about my depression life story.

Ok. People say speed it up with the Rae/Gar romance…well…I am not a romance writer…as some people may of noticed…but I have been putting hints and shit like that in.

THIS IS UNEDITED. I cannot get a hold of Alys. So this is not checked or read by anyone else…except by Anne…I LOVE YOU ANNE!

Review Responses;

scathac's warrior- Aye indeed. I though I should put him in…but as for him walking round that part of school…he was 'late'. More like trying to cut but getting caught.

TameranianRaven- Yay for Kori! WOOT! WHY CANT I HAVE A FRIEND! Oh well. Rae/BB? Well lets…uh…I don't know. But it WILL be there…sooner or later…

PurpleFlyingMonkey- Ha. The best? Yeah right…but thanks.

blackfire-the-best- Kori…is…well Kori…heh. Thank you so much for your reviews…and see? I wrote. Im almost done with the next chapter too…woo

hoshi-ko88- Poor Kori indeed…Damn the fucking regents to hell. Stupid shit we don't even need to know…science will be easy…I did good on the "Hardest Regents I've seen in years" My teacher dubbed it…and sad thing is I flunked the easy midterm.

PawPaws- EVERYONE I know knows how much pot is…most people anyway. That's the regular price, some people go for 300 bucks…stupid people… What school do I go to? …why would you want to know? Well it's a place called Tuxedo…never heard of it have ya? Creepy is my middle name…

devilleader-WOO…yea shes got a boyfriend…and I updated.

They-Call-Me-Orange- I LOVE YOUR NEW STORY! Update it, make it a chaptered fic…Rambling is good…very good…well as for reassurance…I cannot imagine BB or Rae with anyone else…I would never dream of writing those two without them being together. As for listening to you…hmm…I'll consider it :-P

Truely Wicked- Thank you…and I love the pot heads. They rock. Even when there passed out.

phantom reviewer- Well dude…blown away? Honestly I didn't think its all that real…even if this shit happens in my school every once and awhile. I DO NOT hate Terra. She just makes the perfect excuse for a bitchy person.

MistOfDarkness- Parodies make the world go round…all my teachers can be described as that. Stupid bitches…well except one or two. Rich or Dick? Hmm. Tough chose…Meh…maybe ill make him a Dick

crazybritoutforevangelooks- Rock on dude. Rock the fuck on…music makes the world live. I love you too, keep reviewing and I'll love you more. YAY! My first stalker!

PLEASE EXCUSE ANY SPELLING ERRORS IN THE NOTE AND RESPONCES I AM TIRED AND IT IS LATE. THEREFOR I CANNOT SPELL RIGHT. I can type just fine…just cant spell…

_Italics Raven's thoughts._

_--Italics Raven's writing_

_-Italics Gar's writing_

_Disclaimer- I dont own anything you reconize. Leave me the fuck alone._

_**Chapter 6**_

Raven had a very odd and embarrassing experience in her mothers' studio, much to the pain of her mother. Raven must have been about six when it happened. Raven had made her mother paint supplies detonate all over her work, her mother, and herself. Not a happy memory.

_I think it took about a week to get the paint out of our hair…_

Her art class was …odd. The teacher, Mrs. Smith, was a psycho really. She kept talking about contour drawings and kept asking about color wheels. Raven was annoyed.

"Now can anyone tell me the primary colors? Anyone?"

Raven gave a wicked grin. "If we knew what they were would we be in this class?"

The teacher and entire class turned their attention to the small slouching teenage girl that dares to be a smartass. Mrs. Smith narrowed her eyes at the still grinning adolescent. Raven brought her cold violet eyes up to face the teacher. She still had that sick grin, and her eye started to twitch, making her look like a madwomen. After about five minutes of a staring contest the teacher broke away to look at the clock, she turned toward the class and said quite venomously, "Pack up, homework is to write a page essay about the primary colors."

She turned swiftly and went into the back room as the class groaned and glared at Raven. She stopped grinning and packed up. She debated writing down the homework, but decided not to.

_Not like I'm going to do it…now where could I find Logan…I need to kick his ass… does he stalk me or something?_

Now Raven really wanted to talk with him, he made a portrait of her! Raven thought back to when he first noticed she was standing next to him. He was blushing and seemed embarrassed and confused. Then when Raven started talking to him he seemed terrified.

…_I never knew he could draw that good…it looked so real…_

The bell rang and students sent insults toward Raven as they ran out of the art room. Raven left quickly and looked at her schedule.

_Aw shit. _

She had global class, Raven's worst subject, besides gym. Raven walked slowly toward the crowded staircase. She went up slowly, much to the irritation of the people behind her. Raven could practically feel the anger and irritation coming off them in waves. She didn't care, global sucked; therefore she would delay getting there as much as she could. Her plan was to never go to global. To bad for Raven's plan, a teacher was behind her, shoving all the kids along.

The bell rang and everyone scurried to there designated classroom. Raven walked down the empty halls leisurely until she wound up in front of the global class, Mr. Kings class. The stonner had come out already so Raven guessed she was ten minutes late. She gave a dramatic sigh and walked into the room. The sound of turning people made her twitch.

_Everyone just **has** to look when someone is at the door._

"…"

"Raven Roth, am I right?" Mr. Smith asked, as he sat by his computer, in a snobby tone. Raven looked around the room at the students and saw them smirking, all the seats were full except for next to a sleeping figure…he looked familiar. A sudden clap made Raven turn to face the teacher. To Ravens amusement he looked pissed off beyond belief.

_And I only didn't answer his question…well he's going to hate me._

"I asked you a question kid. Do you need me to spell it out?" The mad teacher turned to the board and wrote in sloppy handwriting:

_Are. You. Raven. Roth._

The students were laughing and the teacher smirked. Raven gave the class an annoyed look and wondered why all people had to be difficult. The sleeping kid looked up and turned out to be a dazed and drooling Garfield. Figures, only he would fall asleep and wake up the second something interesting started.

Raven twitched and debated getting in trouble. The teacher looked like he thought he beat her.

_Aw fuck no, he won't beat me. _Raven thought as the class looked on, waiting for something to happen. Garfield was blushing as he looked on in interest. As Raven smirked, the teachers fell, as she walked over to the board and picked up a marker:

_Yes I am. Did you know your making a fool of yourself? Are you incapable of waiting for an answer? Or do you want to make me an example for the class? Well sorry teach, no one makes a example out of me._

Raven handed the stunned teacher the marker as the class looked on, eager for shouting, according to the whispers that floated around the small tan room. Raven looked around the room with her arms crossed and a bored look on her face. As the teacher erased the board while he snarled, Raven's violet eyes met with Gar's jade ones. Raven couldn't breathe again, just like before in the art room. Her heart started beating faster and it felt like someone put an iron band around her lungs. Something sparkled in his eyes, Raven couldn't figure out what. She couldn't break eye contact; his eyes drew her toward him. They were such an alluring color, like nothing Raven had ever seen before. the jade color was definitely not in anything nature, and their was a lot of green in color. Suddenly the entire room disappeared and Raven and Garfield were alone. Nothing existed except the two of them, well that was until the teacher screamed at her. Everything in the room appeared again and Raven snapped her head toward the teacher.

"Do you think you funny Roth? Well answer me! I won't have smartasses in my class," He practically shouted in Raven's ear. She sighed as her ear rung and decided to make him even madder. _This is fun… _She thought as she open her mouth.

"No sir, I don't think I'm funny sir, and to bad for you, ya got a lot of smartasses in this room right now…"

"You included?" he snapped back. Raven smirked; his face was turning scarlet with rage and embarrassment.

"No, no…I don't think I am a smartass. But I might be,"

"Tell me something I don't know." He retorted.

"You do seem to be pretty damn short tempered. Take any anger management classes lately?" Raven said dully. He twitched and grabbed a pink piece of paper on his desk. He then proceeded to shove it in her face telling her she got one and get her ass in a seat. Raven sighed and sat next to the amazed Garfield, as Mr. King calmed down and lectured the class about China or Japan Raven nodded off. It lasted about five minutes, with Garfield fidgeting next to her until he shoved a folded piece of paper on her desk. Raven blinked and unfolded the paper.

_Sorry about the… picture thing. You looked sorta freaked out. I'm not a stalker, well not yours, I could be if you want me to._

Raven looked at the still talking Mr. Smith and then looked at the blushing Garfield. He didn't look her in the eye. She put on a stone face and started writing.

_--The picture, why did you draw it? Why me? And I was **not** freaked out. Don't stalk me. I will award you a painful death. Very painful. Oh and you have an interesting family from what I saw._

Raven slipped it onto his desk and looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. He blushed and then looked pained then looked shocked. He gave her an odd look and wrote on.

_Your…interesting and I needed to practice body anatomy. You so freaked out dude, you should of seen the look on your face. Point taken, I will add you to the list of people I won't stalk. And…what do you mean my family is interesting? You never saw them did you? When? Where? **Why?**_

He slipped the not on her desk and looked at the teacher, who amazingly was still rambling on. Raven started writing thinking _why am I doing this?_

_--That's a lie. From the looks of the picture you're almost a pro and it looked like you have a specialty for real drawings. Believe me I know. And you little brother, Tommy I think, ran out of your house naked. Your mother will be mad at you for getting him hyper. Seems you talk to your parents about me? May I ask why?_

Raven smirked at the somewhat horrified look on his face. He played around with his pen before writing again.

_-I'm not a pro probably nowhere near being a pro. How would you know? Are you an artist too? Sorry about Tommy. I gave him some tofu; it makes him hyper for some reason. And it looks like I gotta hide when I get home. Everyone has heard about you Raven, especially with the Paul fight. My parents were concerned; they never did like Paul though and they didn't believe those rumors about you. You are alright righ?_

Raven read, then wrote she had long forgotten about Mr. Smith and his boring class agenda.

_--I just know. And I can't draw for my life. Tofu? You eat that fake shit? And **everyone** has heard about the Paul thing? I am fine. But you are going to answer some questions for me, got it? First thing, why are you and Stone suddenly worried about me? Second thing I want the truth about the painting. Last thing,_

Raven suddenly thought of Luke. He never told her his last name, but he looked like Garfield. Raven snapped her head over to a confused Gar. The hair, the height, the looks. They looked almost the same. She finished the note by adding;

_--Last thing, is your father a genetic? Is his name Luke?_

Raven shoved it at him and looked at the clock. They had about three minutes. Raven almost snarled, she wasted all that time writing about useless shit. He wrote somewhat slowly. Raven's eye would not stop twitching.

_Write faster!_

Just as he was about to pass the note to her the bell rang. He gave her the note and bolted slamming into quite a few people. Raven packed up and went out almost as fast as Gar, but she didn't run into anyone.

She looked at her schedule and brightened somewhat. English. But Kori was there.

_She probably found some people she could bond with, talk about random things and still be happy._

She was wrong. Raven decided to not be late and she walked into the English class, only to find Kori sobbing in a corner desk.

…_oh shit…_

Raven looked for the teacher and found she was alone in the room with a sobbing Kori. Raven did not have any friends; therefore she did not know how to comfort anyone. That equaled a very bad thing because it looked like Kori couldn't breathe to well. Raven took a deep breathe and started over toward Kori. Her head snapped up as she heard someone coming closer to her. Kori wiped away her tears as Raven settled into the seat next to her and shoved the note Gar gave her in her pocket.

_Say something idiot!_

"So…uh…not have a good morning I take it?"

"…" Kori stayed silent. Raven began to feel uncomfortable.

"Was it Terra?"

Kori flinched at the name. _And we have a match…_

"What did she do to you Kori?"

Kori sighed and did not look at Raven as she talked.

"She has…told me many bad things about you, she hit me again, and my sister has decided to join Terra and forget about me…"

Raven sat back, thinking about what to say. "Most likely, Kori…the things she told you might be true, in a way. Half truths. And if she hits you again Kori," Raven looked at her now, Kori looked rather sad, "You can hit her back or tell a teacher, or better yet tell me. Now about your sister…well. If she joined league with Terra she isn't worth know anymore. Now did you make any new friends this morning?"

Kori smiled a little after Ravens speech, but beamed when she asked about friends. "Yes, I have met a Richard Grayson; he has helped me get to my classes! He is very funny and helpful! But he wears sunglasses inside, is that not strange?" Raven gave a very small smile as Kori went on about the beginning of her day and new friends. The bell rang and the teacher walked into the now full classroom. The class began as Kori handed Raven an email and a few phone numbers, the top of the page held Kori's loopy cursive. The numbers were her cell phone and home phone. The email had a note next to it that said "Email me tonight! That way I know your own email. I would most likely lose it if you gave it to me now. Thank you for being my first friend Raven."

…_So…I have a…friend…_

Raven gave a real smile, even for a short while.

* * *

After a rather boring English class with Ms. Summers, Kori and Raven found there next class before lunch, advanced writing, which Raven was looking forward too. But for some reason Kori looked worried. Raven thought it was because Terra, Kitten, and the other Anders' kid were yelling at them from across the hall. But turns out Kori didn't even notice them when Raven asked what was wrong. But when Raven did point them out she ran to the writing room. Raven sighed and continued on her way to the room at a much slower pace.

…_I haven't read that note yet ether…_

The bell rang just as Raven walked into the class. Raven sat next to Kori who looked in a nervous kind of daze. Raven sighed and poked her shoulder, trying to get her attention. It worked, Kori almost broke Raven's wrist and she wouldn't stop apologizing to Raven.

"I am sorry my friend! Please forgive me! I did not mean to hurt you! I-"

"Ok!" Raven shouted, gathering the attention of the class and teacher. Raven ignored them and looked at the fear in Kori's eyes.

_She's afraid to…lose me as a friend…_

"It's okay, nothings hurt see?" Raven flexed her wrist and almost gave a cry. It did hurt, but Kori didn't need to know that.

"Now, now girls…let get on with today's writing topic," The teacher rambled on for a while before writing a few things on the board, telling the class to write a short story with that topic.

As the class began to talk, becoming a dull roar, Raven talked to Kori again. "Why did you look so nervous about coming to this class?"

"Umm…I can not write very well…I did not wish to take this class. My sister…put this class instead of drama class…as a joke."

Raven stopped writing and looked at her, she looked embarrassed. Raven sighed again.

_I seem to be doing a lot of that today…_

"Alright…I'll help you if you want." Raven muttered. Then Kori did a forbidden thing to Raven. She did something no one has ever done since her mother died. Kori had stepped over the line, she broke the damn line. She mad Raven almost go into shock.

Kori hugged Raven.

…_What the fuck?_

And quite hard too.

"Ok, o-ok K-Kori…Air…needed. No hug." Raven managed to squeak out. Kori let go and beamed at the suffocated Raven. For the rest of the class Kori concentrated on her writing while Raven tried to breathe.

* * *

_Lunch is crazy._ Raven decided after about ten minutes of the period. The lunch aids were all old ladies who didn't seem to care that a kid was getting choked a table across from the shocked Kori and the indifferent Raven. Raven saw Garfield running around the lunch period with Victor before the principal came and screamed at all the kids to knock it off and quite down.

Raven then decided to read Gar's note while things were quite. She shouldn't of. It made her want to attack him.

_Tofu is good! It isn't made of meat! And it's good you're alright. Me an _

_Vic always tried to look out for you, and like I said at the hospital, who wouldn't care about you? About the picture… you're interesting. And yea my old mans a genetic and his names Luke. Why? Do you know him?_

Raven almost screamed. He was lying about the picture, she knew it. But then she thought of Luke.

_Holy shit Garfield's dad knew my mom. That might mean that Garfield knows about…my mom… maybe… damn I hope not…thank god its quiet, I can think._

That lasted about five minutes before all hell broke loss in the cafeteria. Some senior dragged a freshman toward the bathrooms screaming something about swirlies. A mini fight broke out at the jock table between Victor and the captain for some reason. Gar broke it up before the aids called down the AP. Screaming and cheer practicing filled the large room.

Kori hunched down, like she didn't want to be seen, but Raven was sitting straight up and she couldn't stop twitching she needed to think.

_Keep calm, keep calm, don't go on a murdering spree, don't go kill-_

A loud splotching sound echoed throughout the cafeteria, everyone stopped talking and screaming.

…_Screw it all to hell._

A large piece of the so called school food landed right in front of Raven. She started twitching more violently as she stood up, picking up a piece of the gray food. No one did anything.

"Who," Raven began in an ice cold voice, "Who threw this piece of…shit here?"

No one said anything. The aids were breaking up the swirlie contest outside.

"Come on now I don't bite…much."

Raven's eyes scanned the cafeteria. They stopped on Gar and Victor. They looked like they were about the fight each other but they froze. She raised an eyebrow at them; they stood down and looked at her almost like they too wanted to find out who threw the shit at her. She continued to look until her gaze fell on Terra. She was smirking and holding a gray blob. Raven smirked, then raised her arm and threw the food as hard as she could toward Terra. The blob connected with her face.

No one moved, but quite a few gazes were hostile and were directed toward her. Terra looked shocked, like that never happened before. A silence fell over the teens and the now returning lunch aids. Kori tugged Raven down as another blob came at her. It missed and hit another kid behind her. Then Gar smirked and ran in front of Raven and Kori. His chipped tooth made his grin look deadly instead of mischievous. He grabbed the remaining gray crap in front of Raven jumped on there table and gave a war yell.

"Food Fight!"

Raven grabbed her book bag and Kori's then dragged them out of the war zone. Raven ran outside to the benches, no one was ever over there. Both tried to catch there breathe and looked to see if they were hit on there way out. Both turned out to be clean and somewhat grumpy. Well Raven was, Kori was excited for some reason.

"Oh friend, that was my first fight of the food! But is the point to stay and throw food?"

Raven blinked.

"Uh no, well yea sometimes but honestly I didn't feel like getting pelted today, maybe tomorrow." Raven said getting her CD player out. Kori gave Raven a questioning look and took out her sandwich that was covered in mustard. Raven gagged and tried not to look at the food.

She was allergic to mustard.

Raven had three classes left. Three classed before she could go to the bookstore and be…free. Science, gym, and then study hall.

_All hail the person who created study halls._

Science went by quickly; Raven had fallen asleep while Kori talked to Victor, who was sitting next to Raven. Gar had started yelling at the teacher about animal rights when she mentioned they would be dissecting frogs and maybe a pig. In gym, Raven didn't bring clothes so she sat out with Gar Logan, both fell asleep on the bleachers after Raven tried to attack him for information.

At study hall, in the cafeteria, Raven tried to sleep while Kori went to try and get out of advanced writing. About five minute before the bell rang Raven noticed Gar talking to the study hall teacher, Mrs. Smith. Raven packed up and snuck out of the cafeteria through the side door, she waited for Gar to come out. When he did he walked toward the locker halls. Raven followed him silently. Gar seemed to be singing something under his breath. He started opening his locker when Raven grabbed him by his flannel shirt collar, turned him around, and slammed him against his locker, his head hit the locker. He looked ready to fight back till he saw it was Raven.

_Now I can finally get my answer. I know he was lying._

"Now tell me the truth Garfield. Why are you and Victor taking a sudden interest in me?" When he didn't answer Raven snarled at him. He looked terrified.

"Um…don't ya think you overreacting? I mean…is it wrong to be afrai-worried for you?" Gar said, his voice cracking. Raven snarled and let go of him and he stumbled and fell on her. He once again hit his head; the beginning of a bruise was visible.

"Argh! Get offa me!" Raven said, her voice was muffled from Gar's chest.

"Ahahahahaha! Oh my god Becky look at those two!"

Gar sat up and rubbed his head. He looked down the hall to find some of the cheerleaders returning from practice. He felt something shift underneath him and froze. He looked into the very mad and embarrassed face. He gasped and got up then tried to help Raven up but she shoved his hand away and got up herself.

_Damn he's…heavy…well it isn't fat that's for sure its almost all muscle…argh! Shut up Raven!_

The bell rang and the cheerleaders were still talking in very loud voices about the new "couple" according to them.

Gar muttered a sorry as Raven stormed toward the cheerleaders. They didn't move when the pissed off Raven tried to get past them. Gar winced when she snarled and hit at them. Then they scattered like rats.

She went to her locker at the end of the hall and fiddled around with it while Gar was joined by Victor, they both continued to watch her. She shoved things in then took them all out again. Victor looked at Gar with a questioning look in his gray eyes.

"Hey…did you two…"

"Yea."

"And that why you have that-"

"Yea"

"…Oh…"

"…Yea."

They along with a few other people including Kori, who stood by Vic and Gar, continued to watch Raven's attack on her locker. Then suddenly slammed it shut and hit the locker with her fist using all her might.

"Ohhh…man that's gotta hurt!"

Raven then walked out the door like nothing happened, Kori shot a worried look at the boys then ran after the retreating figure. Gar and Victor slowly started for the buses. When they passed Ravens locker, they saw a huge dent right in the center. The boys looked at each other then ran to the buses as fast as they could.


	7. The Light City and The Night City

I AM SORRY THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT!

All right…I know I said it would be out by Monday but…my computer went wacky. My wireless internet thingy broke and then I was grounded cause I almost got into a fight…stupid bitches wouldn't leave me alone.

Now… I am not happy at all with this chapter but…yea what ever. As long as you guys like it I suppose…

…Ok…individual review responses would take me about qn hour. Something I do NOT have right now. So I'll answer the questions from the 6th chapter and the 7th chapter right now and put in the individual responses later…THANK YOU ALL WHO REVIEWED I LOVE YOU!ONE!

Perhaps the Logan family will find the vodka….hehe..

Since people are asking…Raven WILL fight Terra in a later chapter. I've already got things planed out for it. Today there was a fight during my lunch period…maybe I'll semi-base it on that. It made me happy…

Um…I noticed I made a mistake about the Smiths and stuff…I went back and fixed it…I must have had Neo on the brain.

I WILL NOT WAIT A MONTH TO UPDATE THIS AGAIN! I get out…in 11 days.

I did base this high school on mine and what I've heard about others.

OK! Another important note….well two but read them anyway.

READ THIS STORY! IT KICKS ASS!

http/ www DOT Fanfiction DOT net / s /2179413/1/

Without the spaces and replace the 'DOT's …read it. It kicks major ass.

I am starting…two new AU stories, one set in an insane asylum, the other in the middle ages. Want more info? Email me. Its in my profile.

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

Books were Raven's escape. She felt as though she could be in the story with the characters, feel their pain, anger, and their happiness. See their friends, enemies, and family. Hear their screams, cries, and laughter. Raven's mother always told her that books were portals to another world, a world better then the one they live in that is.

"Her" book store, as she had taken to calling it, was Street-Side Words. It was her second home really.

_Crappy name, good books...most of the time._

Raven knew she was followed to the store. Kori had continued to follow her was she left the school, but the only reason Raven knew that she was following because Kori kept bumping into things. Little things like that made her notice her 'Friend'.

Like that mother that had great lungs. Almost as good as her sons'.

Raven continued to walk along, ignoring the pain in her swollen hand and Kori, who bumped into newsstand. The bruises on her knuckles were already forming at a rapid pace, red blue and purple mixed together.

_...Sort of looks like that one time after a carnival when I threw up in the clown car._

A car sped by, heavy metal music leaking out of the windows. Old people screamed something about the disrespectful younger generation.

_What was I doing in a clown car?_

People buzzed around the city, trying to get home. Taxi cars honked at each other and traveled in packs, trying to beat each other to the next customer standing on the sidewalk. Drug dealers worked in the shadows along with their clients. Buses full of sweaty tired people trudged along slowly. Business people shoved along with their custom, reading the _Gotham Times, _every five minutes or so checking their watches and beepers. Cops zoomed around, trying to look important, but at the same time ignoring all speeding cars and a person waving their gun around. Some gun shots rang out in an ally way. No one gave a second glance. Soon some thugs walked out of the ally, shoving a gun in their pocket as they walked away. Thugs equal bad news, mess with them and your dead in a week, not even. So citizens tried not to get involved. The thugs in Gotham were almost as bad as the Cripes and Bloods. They were getting a name for themselves to, The Hive.

Thus was the normal day in Gotham City.

Raven sighed as Kori then ran into a person carrying groceries. She turned slightly to see Kori apologizing profusely to an egg covered man. He gave her a glare and turned to a bus stop. Raven gave a tiny smirk at the look on the mans' face. Kori seemed to slump and looked at Raven. She stiffened and looked at Raven, somewhat frightened.

Raven raised an eyebrow and continued on.

A cop car pulled up next to Raven and rolled down the window, the cop inside looked at her. She was well known around the city's law enforcement and she with them.

_It's not like I purposely get in trouble…it just seems that trouble decides to follow me and kick me in the ass._

The cop, Nick she realized, lowered his sunglasses and chewed his gum. Raven looked at him unfazed.

…_He's like those cops on TV. Sunglasses on, chewing gum…now all he needs is about five boxes of doughnuts._

He gave her a warning look and drove off, probably to the doughnut shop. Raven gave a weird snicker and walked around the block, her book store was in sight. Kori walked beside her now, her cover blown. Raven looked up at her tall partner and gave a smirk.

"Kori, never try to be a spy. You're too loud."

Kori gave a weak chuckle and stayed silent surprisingly, though she did look around with a cautious eye every now and then.

_Seems like she wasn't born in the city._

Some of the thugs, Hive teens, ran by them and bumped into Kori. She gave a terrified look at the kids and seemed to try and shrink. Raven grabbed Kori and gave a warning look to the kids.

_She defiantly isn't used to being in the city…she's going to need some help adjusting. _

Raven saw the bookstore was a little crowded and narrowed her eyes. She did not like crowds, not at all. To loud, to many people, to much close contact, and just to many people in general. Kori walked beside Raven asking questions now, many which Raven ignored. Not that Kori minded, she kept on asking questions and rambling about random things, from malls to muggers. Raven walked across the busy street toward the bookshop. Kori followed and then gasped when she realized Raven was heading toward the bookshop. Kori beamed at the confused and somewhat scared Raven.

"Oh, friend! I did not know you indulged in the pleasure of books where I earn my money!" Kori said walking into the store and walking to the back where and "Employees Only" sign was.

Raven blinked and tried to put two and two together.

_Kori plus books equals…_

Said person came out humming while walking to the horror section, asking an older man needed help, quite cheerfully too.

…_Crap…_

* * *

By 4:30 Raven had managed to finish her homework and started wondering the store, dodging the still cheerful Kori and wondered into the animal/nature section. She winced, it was a huge maze, and heard Kori walking closer. Raven went deeper into the labyrinth. Raven was by no means an animal hater, but she was not a lover either.

Sure she had debates about cats and dogs, it was normal for people, but she never had any animals. Her father hated all animals, claiming they distracted him from his 'work'. Ravens mother on the other hand loved animals and always brought some home with an excuse to keep them, most of the animals were lizards and small birds. Her father always gave them away within a few days and mommy dearest ran right out and got more animals from god knew where. Her mother always was stubborn like that.

_And she passes that stubbornness on to me._

Raven nonchalantly ran her hand across some of the spines and looked for an interesting title.

_Dog, wolves, birds, cats, more dogs, plant guide…and more dogs._

Raven looked to the side of her and saw a whole wall dedicated to dogs.

…_I hate dogs…they drool. More then cats do anyway._

Raven continued to look at the animal books, mostly birds and cats. It was strange, no one was in that section, a section that was usually pretty packed.

_Was there some sort of bomb threat that I didn't get a notice of?_

The maze deepened as Raven continued on, tables and chairs stood unoccupied, seemingly for a while. The lights became dimmer and flickered on and off occasionally. Raven had never known that this section went so far in, not that she hung around there.

A bright red door leading to an unknown place came into her vision after leaving the fish section. She poked her head out and looked around, it was a hall way. But something glistening at the deep end of the hall caught Raven's eye. She took a cautious step out and looked around for some sort of trap. After no one jumped her with a knife she went to the

A big rusted metal door blocked Ravens path deeper into the maze. Big bright red letters said "DO NOT ENTER"

Now, Raven was, almost, like any other teenager; if you tell a teen not to do something, they are bound to do it sooner or later. Raven looked around, no one was heard or seen, and picked up a fire extinguisher from the wall. "Oof," Raven grunted, it was a lot heaver then the ones in school.

How did she know that? Well let's just say never play with matches in the girls' locker room.

_Learned my lesson for that stunt. Wait until all the girls obsessed with perfume are gone…_

The cold metal and the odd smoothness felt cool against her sweaty palms. Raven grunted and slammed the extinguisher against the rusted lock. A metallic snap echoed the quite area. Raven quickly put the heavy object back on the wall and hid in a dark corner, where she could not be seen. She did not want to be caught and fined, again, so she stayed in the small corner for about ten minutes, no sound except her even breathing was heard. Raven then walked out of the shadows, silent and wary. She tugged off the remainder of the now mutilated lock and opened the door.

_I really don't want to get kicked out of this book store…gotta behave a bit._

Raven walked into what looked like a study room, with no light whatsoever. From what she could see, desks and chairs filled the room, all empty. Raven blinked and walked around the room, trying not to bump into things, she didn't feel like leaving the store to go home but she did feel like exploring her new discovery. Some books were still littering the floor and tables. Raven glided deeper into the room, picking up all the books she saw, which wasn't to many. After collecting all the books she took them to a table that was somewhat doused in light form the hall. She looked at the dusty tombs and looked around, looking for more books and stalkers in the shadows. The books looked somewhat interesting, all about epic battles, magic users, and mythological creatures. Right up Ravens ally. A person screamed outside, making Raven jump, about ten minutes till closing.

…_I gotta leave. I'll take the books tomorrow._

Raven reluctantly left the room, she closed the door, it made a loud squeak, and got parts of the lock to attach to the rusty latch. Raven ran through the animal section, grabbing a couple random books as she went.

_Just to make it look like I didn't do something._

She started walking toward her backpack and put all her things away. She slung it over her shoulder as people were drifting out and some people ran in to pick up last minute orders. She went to an empty register and saw Kori playing with the buttons, looking quite confused. Raven put on an amused face and placed the books on the counter, startling Kori. She quickly smiled at her friend and took her books.

"Did you find everything you may need Raven?" Raven still had that amused look on.

_They drilled that into her mind. She had glazed eyes when she said that…heh._

"Yea, yea I did…" Raven said, her eyes were sparkling though she masked her amused face. Kori ran the books under the red barcode light and looked at the computer/register. She bit her bottom lip and hesitantly pressed a few buttons on the computer. An odd beeping noise filled the air. Raven gave Kori a look.

"…you know how to work that thing Kori?"

Said person jumped and shook her head, pressing more buttons.

"O-Of coarse friend!"

More beeping filled the air; some of Kori's fellow employees were looking at her with concern.

"Of coarse indeed…" Raven muttered.

* * *

After about twenty minutes past closing time Kori managed to get the price of the two animal books and get Raven her receipt. Kori and Raven walked outside to see the fading sun. Silence ran between the two friends as they stared at the mix of red, orange, pink, and purple sunset. Raven and Kori both jumped when a car horn sounded. Both girls snapped their head to the street to see a huge man in a fancy sports car.

_Holy shit…that's the guy from this morning._

Kori beamed and ran to hug the man, who was now standing by the car. Then Kori turned to Raven and spoke.

"This is Gary Galfore. He is my care taker. Gary, this is my new friend Raven!"

"And our nosy neighbor," Galfore said with a deep voice. He really was the biggest man Raven had ever seen, bigger then her father.

And that was one hell of an accomplishment.

Kori squealed and ran at Raven who was glaring at Galfore. Raven was tackled to the ground and had the breath knocked out of her lungs. Raven felt the pressure of Kori atop her and the cold concrete beneath her.

_I am damn sandwich. I will now feel sorry for the ham and cheese I ate today…_

The weight of Kori was lifted off of her and a huge hand was floating in her vision. Galfore helped Raven up, who brushed herself off and walked to Kori calmly.

"Kori. Please. No…hugging…I don't do physical affection to well."

Kori seemed confused but complied. Galfore decided to take Kori home, seeing as she had a lot of homework to do.

"Friend would you like a ride home? It is going to soon be dark and the moon shall come out." Kori asked, concern evident in her voice. Galfore went over to the gently humming car and looked back. Raven looked at Galfore and tried to judge his driving skills. Then she noticed the size of the car.

_I don't think he would fit…_

"Naw, thanks anyway Kori. I don't feel like going home right now. I'll email you later if I have time. Much later though." Raven said aloud, starting to walk toward the end of the road.

"I shall await your email for later tonight dear new friend." Kori said as she got into the car. The car zoomed by Raven and she saw Kori waving franticly at her. She gave a small wave and continued walking toward her unknown destination.

Darkness started to surround the buildings and people. Lights in windows glowed like those damn bugs in the fields. People started abandoning walking to use cars and taxis instead. A lot of people knew not to walk around in the city at night, Raven knew this of coarse but that doesn't mean she was part of "A lot of people". She did whatever she wanted…mostly within the law.

_It's not like I want to break the law. It just gets in my way, therefore I…bend it._

The drug dealers and other illegal dealers started to prowl. Raven usually tried to stay clear of them. But sometimes life has other plans.

"Come'n girl, jus two grand. Jus fer yo hun. Here I'll even give ya a free vodie!"

Raven eyed the pot seller, who shoved a big bottle of vodka in her hands. He was already high; his eyes were totally blood shot. And he had deep lines around his nose. He had been sniffing something.

"No thank you. I got plenty, but I'll remember you when I run out." Raven said, cautiously, not wanting to make him mad. He seemed to be on steroids too. Or he just worked out a lot.

As the man stumbled off, Raven looked around the now empty street, trying to find somewhere to go. Toward the end of the dark foreboding street was a foreboding gate. One that led to the Gotham City Park. Raven blinked.

"To go or not to go…"

Cop car sirens and footsteps surrounded her.

"Is not an option!"

Raven ran as fast as she could with the vodka bottle still in her hands.

Mother always did say never waste a good vodka.

* * *

Ever been in a park, never knew who would jump out from behind the corner, in complete darkness? Everything seemed to be a real shadow land. There were few working lights in the park so mostly everything was dark, Raven decided to make her way to the playground area. That had some working lights, but sometimes families went there. Raven stuck toward the shadows and made her way to the playgrounds, trying not to be seen. Of course, the vodka was safely tucked away in her bag, though it still wouldn't help if the cops decided to search her.

As Raven continued walking along the dark path a light from the left made one cracked concrete square glow with a soft light. Small giggling reached Raven's ears and she gave a small sigh.

_Families are weird. There to…happy…_

A familiar voice filled Raven's ears,

"You little Beeping Beep! You-"

Though he was interrupted by another voice, one that commanded complete authority.

"GARFIELD MARK LOGAN! DON'T YOU DARE SAY THOSE WORDS IN FRONT OF THE KIDS AGAIN!"

Silence filled Raven's ears. A little giggling sound broke it a few second later.

…_Right…_

Raven stopped dead as she looked through a bush, looking at what looked like the Logan family.

…_Why them?_

All members seemed to be staring at the mother; whither in awe or fear Raven didn't know. Though Raven would be staring in awe, for she shut up Garfield Logan. For as long as Raven knew, the kid never shut up, he would never listen. Just jabber on about random things.

There was the said towering Garfield, along with another tall man standing next to him; they both had their backs to her, though the other man looked familiar in a way, like a long lost friend. Both were wearing light jackets and the man wore a sports hat.

On the rusty old swing set there was a girl of about twelve years old. She had dark brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and had green-blue eyes that were filled with amusement. She might of looked pretty but it seemed like she just got out of a fight. Her cheek was swelling, her eye was blackening and all her clothing was ripped. It looked like she had a fat lip, but Raven couldn't be to sure.

_The lighting sucks major ass._

There were three younger children running around by the monkey bars giggling and supposedly teasing Gar. Tommy was among them. Raven gave a soft sigh and turned, getting ready to leave the happy family.

To bad she stepped on a dead stick.

To bad Tommy decided that it would be a great idea to tackle the girl he hid behind that morning.

To bad Raven stumbled back and slammed her head against the nearby metal bench.

To bad Raven couldn't stay conscious.

* * *

_Not again!_

Raven gave a weak groan. Her head throbbed, making a thudding sound in her head, and struggled to get up. A gentle hand pushed her back down on what felt like a jumble of jackets. But at least it was warm.

"Stay down. You took a mighty nasty fall there child."

An old lady by the sound of the creaking voice.

Raven forced her eye to open and immediately regretted it. Bright light burned her eyes, making her headache worse. She gave an odd muffled shriek and grimaced.

_Where the hell am I now! Better not be that damn hospital again…wait…the Logan's they were there…damn Tommy._

The sound of ruffling clothing made Raven lay still.

"Marie! Get in here…she's awake! Get Gar and the others."

Raven almost screamed at the sound level of the ladies voice, it echoed in her hallowed mind. It felt like she had the world's largest margarita. Or that bottle of vodka…straight.

But instead of a scream it turned into a painful whimper. Raven forced her amethyst eyes open and a pair of concerned jade eyes stared right back at her. Raven blinked and tried to lean back, an old wrinkled face was invading her personal space. Raven tried to form a logical sentence.

"Ugh uh?"

It was a try at least.

"Don't try to talk dear," The Grandmother type lady then gave an angry glare behind Raven. "Those damn kids…excuse me dear, I'll be right back."

The old lady moved back and disappeared silently. Raven forced her arms to support her as she tried to sit up again. Raven gave another whimper as she fell again, but this time strong arms grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up against the back of what looked like a love-seat.

"Are you feeling alright Raven, you took a bad fall," Said a deep voice, one which Raven had not heard in a long time…

Raven turned so fast her neck cracked. The pain was nothing compared to her shock at seeing her mother's old friend.

Luke Logan gave Raven the same grin he had given her so many years ago. He looked to same, but his messy brown hair had grayer then before, and he had started developing indents and lines on his face.

_He looks like an older Garfield._

Raven stared at him.

He stared right back; his hands retreated to his pockets as he stood tall.

…_I should say something._

"Urgh." Was the only thing Raven managed to get out of her sore throat. She swallowed a few times and tried again.

"Ehem…so…hi," Raven said with a raspy voice.

_Great, haven't seen the guy in years and all I manage is hi._

Luke gave a smirk and tilted his head to one side. He studied her for a few moments and then gave a grin.

"You look exactly like her you know. You're like her…twin I guess. And it seems like your acting like her too. Wandering around at midnight, cracking your head on a bench…" Luke said in an amused voice. Raven shuddered and looked away, looking around the cozy living room.

The room was basically one big rectangle with two doors, one on the width of the room and one directly behind Raven, who was facing the Logan's huge platinum TV with an Xbox, Gamecube, and a GameStation hooked up to it.

…_I give it ten days tops till the firefighters get introduced to the Logan's…if they haven't been already._

The sound of thunder reached Raven's ears and her head snapped to the closed windows.Her eyes narrowed at the shades and looked at Luke questioningly. He gave a sigh and went over and moved the shades.

Rain pelted against the window, making an addicting type of rhythm. Then a bright white-blue flash lightened the window. Then all the lights fizzled out and a scream sounded from upstairs. In the pitch black Raven heard a crash nearby, then Luke grunting and the sound of feet scuffling outside the far door. Then silence.

Raven stuck her hand out and waved it in a wide circle. Not hitting anything she decided to try and stand up, to find the Logan family. She stood and stumbled before a beam of light shined at her feet. Raven's eyes followed the light as it moved to the face of Luke, he had a wide grin.

"Boo."

Raven gave him an unamused look and stole the flashlight as the living room lights went back on. Raven flipped the flashlight off and turned off the light. Luke looked toward the far door and started for it.

"I'm going to see if Grandma is alright, oh she's the one who screamed and…," Luke stopped at the door and gave a half turn as Raven sat back down on the couch, "She's the one that freaked you out when you woke up."

Raven almost threw the expensive lamp at him. But she settled for Garfield's math textbook.


	8. Conversations And Crazy Ass Parents

**A/N; **Hehe. Haven't forgotten me have you? I now present the second mini-chapter of the story. Gar AND Kori this time. Now, about the next chapter, it will be ready by…say…Wednesday. I need to go over it and send it to my Queen Anne. She rules.

Ehem. Anyway, Review responses from the last chapter and my rant…

First let me say to all those who replied about Mr. Allen, you have no idea how…touched I felt when I read your responses. Thank you all, it helped me, my sister, and my friends get through.

…Also it turns out Mr. Allen wasn't killed in enemy mortar firing. He was murdered along with his friend and captain by a subordinate.

Right…now on to the responses cause I can't write anymore mushy stuff. Just know we all thank you.

**_I'm-A-Sexy-Beast- _**Where did you get RobRae from? It is BBRae, not those two, I could NEVER write them… Finals suck major ass. I hate those little bitches…stupid pieces of paper…

devilleader- Maybe I'll make those two sit down somewhere in the future and talk. But I got the next chapter basically done anyway and I really don't think I could go back and shove anything else in without screwing it up. Thank you about Mr. Allen. I hate war too.

PrincessofDiamonds- The Logan's rule. I love them. You'll see more of them in the future…and are they really worth waiting for? I think I get worse every chapter.

dl316bh- I got in a fight with some rap lovers last year. They sucked. One of the girls hands re broke and the other got bruised cheek. They only broke my glasses, I thanked them cause then I didn't have to wear them for about 2 weeks. And I am starting to try and make my chapters, except for the mini's, about 10 pages. I think the last one was 7 pages.

They-Call-Me-Orange- Cliffy? I don't even remember what I typed right now so…I'm gonna take your word for it. I am not that great a writer…at least I don't think so…hehehe. I updated. And you'll get your next update within a week. This time…

Kool-Wolf- Thank you! Hehehe…

pawpawz- I have fans? Wow. Lol I didn't notice…and…thanks for that poem you wrote about Mr. Allen. You rock. I tried writing an email to you but it wouldn't send…

fantasygame- Maybe they will see the Vodka bottle…maybe…most likely…hahah

Ravengirl- Hi all! Thank you for trying to review!

dark-demon2156- Thanks. Look! I updated!

TameranianRaven- Fell for the poor, most likely brain damaged, Raven. I sure as hell feel for her…fuck Bsh in the ass! Sorry. I just needed to say that…

CalliopeMused- You don't think this is clichéd? At all? Hm…I think this high school is pretty damn freaky. Its based on mine. Yea that RaeGar connection just came to me at the last second. Thank you for responding to my rant oon chapter 8. My family also has protested about the war and Bush himself. I don't know why but I loved your review. Maybe cause it's so true.

hoshi-ko88- Thank you! –Hugs back- I agree, this war is just so…stupid and pointless.

xXIceNickyXx- Thanks a bunch. I updated! Also the kid that made fun of Mr. Allen never went back to school. He almost got jumped in town though.

scathac's warrior- Is it still confusing you? Just tell me what confused you so I can fix it up. Thank you. I think we should all go and bitch slap Bush. That's what I want to do…and believe me. A lot of people would be better off if I was dead or never born. My, my. Don't I sound emo.

PurpleFlyingMonkey- Thank you, and I am equally sorry for you. But the war will continue and people will still get hurt. I wish it would end also…

Savi- Thank you so much. And you did not offend me in any way at all. Thank you again, and I am sorry if you lost anyone close to you too.

Wraith Droid- Anything you guys said was very much appreciated. Thank you for the poem, I will remember it.

kinggohansaiyaman28- Thank you. He and his other friend that was killed, a Captain whos name I can't remember were on the front page of the newspaper two times, Mr. Allen's funeral was on the news along with his family. You did not offend me in anyway.

Tolazytologin- Yea, my family doesn't like Bush to much either. We, me and my sister, were sorta raised on how stupid the government is being lately.

TheSkeet- Thank you. And if you support Bush, fine! It's your opinion as well as that rant was mine. I will respect your opinion if you respect mine. Also I didn't mean for the intro to come out as a poem I don't do poems to well…

Jackalobe- Your afraid of me? Sorry, you don't have to be afraid…and I agree 100 that the world is fucked up. And just saying 'I'm sorry' made me feel so better. I thank you from the bottom of my heart…

AlyRaven- America is screwed big time. Go ahead, bitch slap Bush. Haha…

Rugsrat- Thank you, and some of the students in the school that never met him bawled. I think America is screwed…and…I am also sad he never got to say goodbye…mostly to his kids and family…Bush sucks ass…

Dark Kamikazi- Oh man…I'm so sorry about your friends and family…and you! Your going? Damn…but…my sister thinks you putting some caps in em is "The best news that happened. Blow the mothers up." That's her…and yes… I hate the government and the leader. Not the people…most people anyway… I will pray for you when you go to Iraq.

PrincessofDiamonds- It's the least I could do for him…Bush is an idiot… and hopefully we all will feel better some day

neoman1338- You have not upset me in any way…I just don't think we should be in Iraq, we aren't doing anything and people are dying without reason. Thank you.

OK! Another important note….well two but read them anyway.

READ THIS STORY! IT KICKS ASS!

http/ www DOT Fanfiction DOT net / s /2179413/1/

Without the spaces and replace the 'DOT's …read it. It kicks major ass.

Oh, and I do NOT hate Michael Jackson. He's just really easy to make fun of…

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

_Such an odd day…my first day in this new nation and school…_

Kori sighed and leaned her head against the cool glass window. The car purred like a contented kitten as Galfore drove down into traffic. At Kori's sigh he turned to glace at the unnaturally sullen girl.

"Is something wrong my little _kinorfka_?" Galfore asked, using their native tongue.

Kori jumped a bit and sat up straight with a dazed look on her face.

"No Galfore! Not at all. I am just…thinking," Kori muttered. Silence enveloped the cars occupants. The sound of honking horns and people shouting hurt the virgin ears of an Indian girl. Kori looked around with an intrigued gaze; with so many new things that she never saw before she tried to absorbed everything with her odd green eyes. Galfore looked at her with an amused air before he turned serious.

"Kori," Galfore began as the traffic moved. "Has someone done something to you? Teased you, hurt you, where did you get that bruise…and about this Raven character, I have heard many bad things about her family, her father in particular…"

Kori looked shocked and a little angry. "No! No Galfore! Nothing happened…and as for this bruise…" Kori though quickly, searching for an excuse. "I was in a crowd and a man hit me by accident. He apologized. And I do not care about rumors surrounding my friend. I thought you of all people Galfore would dismiss those assumptions."

Galfore's blazing green eyes seemed to see right through her lies, but he turned and let it pass.

The rush hour traffic started to move a little faster, but people still were being idiots and honking their horns for stupid reasons. A person trying to cross there…some homeless guy washing a car over here…

People were just pissed because they went from 5 in the morning to 5 at night for a shitty job they don't like and then on their way home have to put up with bull.

_Is this what it is like everyday in the city?_

Galfore seemed to be trying to make peace with Kori as he talked about his day, how the moving was going, how her sister already got in trouble…the usual.

"So…Kori…did you make any friends? Other then that Raven girl?"

Kori's eyes brightened instantly at the chance to tell her care taker about her day.

"Yes! One is Richard; he's in a few of my classes and helped me get to the Global room! But it is odd…he always wears his glasses inside...perhaps he has a disease?" Kori pondered aloud while Galfore grinned and pulled into the driveway. "Then there is Garfield, Raven seems to know him more then I but he is a funny boy, he started one of the food fights today to help avenge Raven, who was hit first,"

Galfore and Kori got out of the car and he made a disregarding noise, though Kori continued.

"…and he is best friends with Victor and Richard! Victor is the captain of the football team and he and Garfield seem to play many pranks on the teachers…"

They reached the door and went inside the now fernished house. It was exactly the same as Raven's house, as was every other house on the street.

"Of course there is my new best friend Raven! She is kind when she wishes to be and to very few people…Galfore, I think she never had a true friend before…she…always seemed startled whenever I talked to her."

Galfore had started cooking the Ander's dinner while Kori sat on a stool by the kitchen counter.

"She seems so closed off to the world… she always looks at the bad side of life, I will break down her walls and let her see the bright side of life!"

Galfore looked at his determined ward. He smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"Kori, she has grown up in this city, and it is not a very nice city," Galfore began, "She has matured beyond her years because of horrors she has seen, I'm sure."

Galfore had heard from the movers about Mrs. Roth…and who was with her at the time of her death.

Kori didn't seem to know, and Galfore wouldn't tell. It was up to Raven if she wanted to open up, even a bit.

* * *

Spitballs, papers, and food flew across the bus as it dropped the evil little children off. Usually Garfield and Victor were the main ringleaders of the paper fights and such, but they took the day off to ponder.

Till 'The Banana Song' came on. It was a nickname for Halla Back Girl by Gwen Stifani. No one really knew the real name, only that she sung about bananas toward the end.

Gar started the dancing while Victor tried singing. It was a very amusing ordeal.

Until the bus driver wrote them up and told them to cut the shit out.

Then they were quiet and pondering again.

Then Vic broke the silence.

"Hey, Gar?"

"Huh…"

"…Does Raven know about-"

"Yes!"

"Ok…"

Silence.

"And what about your-"

"No!"

"Ok..."

Silence fell upon the two teens once again.

* * *

"See ya later Gar!" Victor shouted out the bus window as Gar waved. He walked down the street to his loud house. Music blared out of every window, all different kinds too. Rap other there, metal over there, and for some reason someone was listening to Michal Jackson.

_He's as worse as that new teacher Mr.…uh…Wilson!_

Just as he was throwing his book bag into the living room he heard his little sister jump down the stairs.

"Turn that stupid pedophile off! He'll want to molest you Will!"

Gar laughed at the look on his older brothers' face as he ran and shut the radio off.

"Hey Will! So you finally showed up huh? How was the flight? I'm surprised Meg here didn't kill you yet." Gar said with his trademark grin on his face as he shook hands with his alcoholic brother. Meg came and flopped down on the couch.

"Oh…I just might kill the bastard now…" She muttered though the boy ignored her.

"I dun remember most of the flight but I DO remember getting chucked into a taxi." Will grinned good naturally.

"Gar, your home! You know your friend? Raven? She-"

Will interrupted with a large laugh.

"So! My baby brother's turning into a pimp! I'll get you one of those over sized hats if you hook me up with someone…"

Gar snarled with a beat red face and tackled his brother, both wrestling on the ground as their mother sighed and Meg gave a grin.

"That's your ex's rebel right? Raven Roth? Terra don't like her too much and vice versa," Meg said, and then continued at her mothers inquiring gaze. "…I saw that fight they got into last year right outside the park and Raven broke Terra's nose. Terra managed to cut her lip before the cops came too. Pretty good fight…even though Terra got her ass beat."

Mrs. Logan gave Meg a glare. "Did they just fight for no reason?" Will asked in a generally interested tone, even though he was in a head lock from Gar.

"No. Terra started it, she ripped Raven's book from her hands and threw it in the river. Then she started saying things about how Rave's mom was a whore or something. Then Rave snapped on her ass."

"I still don't know what possessed me to go out with Terra," Gar said as he stood up and stretched, "She's such a…well…" Gar tried to find the right words, polite ones. Meg had different ideas though about polite.

"Whore? Tramp? Bitch? Oh! How about-" Meg was about to go into full ranting mode until her mother interrupted.

"Enough! Now we all agree Terra was a bit- I meanout of line whenever we saw her and is more so now," She gave her children a stern look then turned to Gar. "Now as I was saying young man, how dare you give your brother tofu! You know how hyper it makes him, he ran outside naked and hid behind Raven. She and I talked a bit and then she went to school.Seems like a nice girl. Invite her over sometime.I just wanted to tell you that, now get your sorry asses ready for the park. When your father gets home then we'll be leaving."

Mrs. Logan walked out as gracefully as a queen while her children gave her each a look behind her back.

"…and she yells at us when we snap at her and curse?"


	9. Of Introductions And Rebels

A/N; long AN note today, I think. Well here's the 9th chapter of this story. I am very proud of actually coming this far, I plan on finishing this thing if it's the last thing I do. I put almost everything else I was writing and everything in my life, on hold so I can write this.

I love it. I'm so proud…

I'm really starting to take writing seriously.

Well this is the 9th chapter; expect the next one in about two weeks or less. I didn't start it yet.

Also I am in need of writing experts. If you have ANY C&C at all PLEASE tell me. Email me or just put it in a review. Or IM me on AOL.

Anything confusing you, etc,. Even if there are little things tell me! I am here to improve my writing…also send me any links to any good writing info sites. I got Writer's Digest email's every day or so…

Oh and in the last chapter I forgot to add I have a LiveJorunal. I will be posting a lot of my story statuses there. I'm not going to post anymore statuses in my profile. Cause is pissing me off. You gotta click on this and that and then that just to get to your fucking story to edit it just a little. Also if you have your own Journal, feel free to add me as a friend or something. Links in the profile.

I went to the city yesterday…man I love it. I live in the suburbs, but sometimes I get to go to the city. My dad works right next to the Projects in Manhattan.

Now I remember why I set this story in the city.

Also another VERY IMPORTANT note. I have started revising the first chapter, and I totally in love with it. By the next chapter the first chapter will, hopefully, be around 8 or 9 pages. I am going to do this for every chapter. I will add in little things vital to the 'plot' I am working on.

Review Responses; tell me if I forgot you or something…cause I have the feeling I did…

MistOfDarkness- Hey! I just like making fun of Jackson. He's…so easy to make fun of. But I hate his music. Mom raised me on him and I still can't stand that music…my sister influenced me my entire life really... Metal music. And no, that was the first time I remotely mentioned Wilson. The person I was talking about earlier was Galfore, he had the scarred eye in the show, so I said what the hell and I gave him an eye patch. I have a little thing I'm thinking about…making Garfield say something about pirates…hehe…I just got the best idea. You'll see it in the next chapter or two…or three…

They-Call-Me-Orange- It was vodka! Not whiskey! Vodka is so much better…er…It's summer now so I will be updating more often…I hope. But I am also getting a job, cause…I NEED MONEY! That way I can buy my books and comics. Raven's mom is…well dead. She was murdered…that's what you find out in this chapter. I am not really elaborating about it because the story is really Raven's POV and her death changed her dramatically…

Raven Zinthos- I updated, read your stories, and reviewed them. Your never on AIM either. Go on so I can talk to you.

0kitten0lemonade0- Thank you. A few, very few, of my friends that have read this have told me to make it original, change the names and stuff. I haven't seriously thought about doing that till lately. I don't claim to live in the city, or know a lot about it. But the few times I have been in the city there is a lot of violence. Also this is Gotham City. If you have ever read any of the Batman comics then you will know how violent and dark Gotham is. I didn't know what else to make Kori. I was reading an Indian story while I was writing that part so…Kori is now an Indian. That means that her sister and Galfore are too.

NumbuhZero- I updated again too! Hehe…thank you.

Jaime Snyder- Don't die now…then one of my readers would never review again. ;Tear; Youre going to have to wait more then a couple of days on this one though, I'm trying to type faster.

pyro maniace- Won't be finshed for a while…I gotta put in a HELL of a lot more ideas before I'm done with this baby.

spiritual-s- Thank you!

Anne- I am sorry. I think your sisters killed you…can I have your drawings?

Hehe…

Read 'Raging Beast Boy' by Shadow Avenger. He rules, therefore so does his story. Read. Now. Like BBRae? Well read cause they get naked in the newest chapter up.

RAVEN AND BEAST BOY ARE NAKED!

TOGETHER!

In Raging BB anyway. Great reason to read it.

* * *

**_Chapter 9_**

_Family… _

The word echoed through Ravens empty mind. She never had a happy family. Her mother was the only one who really took care of her, she never knew of any grandparents, never had any siblings. Aunts and uncles were never spoken of, and her father just ignored her altogether.

Unless Raven managed to tick him off.

But somehow…her mother always got the worst of it. But from what Raven remembered and saw when she was younger, Arella Roth never did anything compared to Raven's adventures. Of course there were the stories of what she did when she was a teen. Raven was catching up to her mothers police record.

Their family was always the talk of the neighborhood. What did Trigon do to Arella, rumors about Arella sleeping around, how Raven wasn't even Trigon's daughter. But the neighbors didn't know Arella Angela Roth. Other then being an alcoholic and suffering from past mistakes and bouts of depression, she was normal.

She had a garden, she was a photographer, she was a wife, she was, above all else, a mother.

"_I am always a mother first my little Raven. Always."_

Her voice sounded as though she was next to Raven again,

_Soft but rough, almost like mine…I always did take after her…_

Pushing her in the swing in the yard,

_Dad tore it down…_

Taking walks around the park during the day,

_The park was much cleaner and safer…not like now where you have to carry a blade…_

Burning the bad pictures in the winter for fun,

_We always acted like Indians, dancing around…mom set her coat on fire once…_

Playing with dry ice in the kitchen,

_She always said you haven't lived until you burn yourself with dry ice. It was amother-daughteractivity._

Feeding the doves in the street, mom loved doves,

_She said they were pure, white as snow. I asked her why she didn't name me Dove…she said I was more like a raven then a dove. I never figured out what she meant…_

Just living life during the moment…

_Till it got her killed._

Raven remembered the sound, the crack of the gun. Arella's face as the bullets lodged into her chest. Her eyes widen in shock and pain. The crimson blood staining her white tee-shirt…laugher of that man…the gun pointed at Raven…the red and blue lights…the man getting away as her mother bled to death…

Raven shook her head and looked down at her lap, her face felt wet; tears fell onto her dark jeans. Her eyes stung and her nose was starting to run.

_Shit…I can't cry…I…never cry…_

She wiped her eyes and kept sniffling to stop the crying.

_Mom…fuck, distract myself._

Raven looked around the living, trying to not cry while waiting for Luke to get back with his family.

Framed pictures were plenty in the Logan's living room. From the looks of the pictures, the Logan family consisted of a grandmother, the one that was there when she woke. The beat up girl that was on the swings, Raven guessed it was Garfield's sister. There was Tommy, then another, older looking boy. He looked about 21 and in the pictures of him he looked like he was drunk in all his pictures.

…_Maybe…he's where Garfield gets the drinks for his parties._

Over the blazing fireplace was an old fashioned family portrait. Raven stood up and wandered over there.

All of them were smiling, grandmother, Tommy, Gar, sister, drunken brother, mother and father…

_They look…_

The sound of concerned chatter drifted in from the kitchen area.

_So…_

"Raven! You're alright, right?" Garfield ran over and started looking the dazed Raven over. He turned her around and she faced the family of Logan's.

…_happy…_

Luke grabbed Garfield by scruff of his neck and threw him to the ground by his brother, who decided to kick him. Garfield groaned on the floor, clutching his stomach muttering something about trying to be nice. Raven gave them both looks that Medusa would be proud of.

_Defiantly father and son._

"Alright Raven," Luke said clapping his hands, "I think its time for you to be introduced to the Logan's. Roll call!"

Marie took the hyper Tommy from the older lady and said, "You already know us, Marie and Tommy Logan at your service!" Tommy did a fake salute and ran to hug Raven. She felt her face burning up as she forced her lips to turn down.

The older, grandmotherly type of lady gave a snort and said something in a different language before hold her wrinkled hand out to the bewildered Raven. She took it as the lady began to speak.

"Call me Grandmother dear."

"Uh…sure," Grandmother gave Raven a glare that made hers look like something on Barney, "…Grandmother…"

Grandmother nodded and left the room muttering the strange language again. Tommy giggled. Marie leaned toward Raven.

"Gaelic. We're Irish you know, dear…"

_Gaelic huh? Sounds…interesting._

The brother of Garfield, who was currently being attacked by the girl for something about Michael Jackson, strutted forward and held out his hand.

"Names William, call me Will," Will said as Raven hesitantly held out her hand. He grabbed it, tugged her toward him, and leaned down; he was about 6 inches taller then Raven. She instantly made a fist and made it ready to plow into his nose but he grinned and winked. Not a sleazy wink but a teasing wink.

"If ya ever need any kind of cigarettes, or drinks…come to me missy!" Will winked again and dodged the jealous charging Garfield.

"Don't you worry Gar, I won't hit on your girlfriend!" He shouted and then hid behind his mother and father while Raven tried to land a punch on him. Garfield stood there for a few seconds. The girl gave a grin that the cherish cat would be proud of as he suddenly snapped out of his dream land.

"SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Raven jumped out of the way as Garfield throttled his brother. She gave a low growl and looked at the boys running out of the room. Her gaze fell on the last Logan, the girl, who was still looking pretty bruised. Raven tuned out the laugher of Luke and Marie and the shouting one room over. Tommy had started running after his older brothers.

_Great influence they are…_

The girl gave a small chuckle and held out her hand. Raven hesitated again, and the girl took notice.

"Hey, I ain't gonna bite you, that's Tommy's job, names Maggie. Call me Meg if you want… nice to finally see the girl Gar idolizes." She and Raven shook hands while shouts turned into screams.

Raven looked at the remaining people in the room and tried to decide how to thank them. She cleared her throat, the family looked at her.

"I, uh…I am not…well…" Raven tried to get out the words. They looked on patiently.

"Eh…I'm not great at…well…umm…thanks?" Ravens' voice went lower and lower until the last word was barely heard.

"Hey!" Garfield had returned. "What Rae, think we would leave you unconscious in the park in the middle of the night?"

Raven's eye twitched.

"Rae…?" She muttered.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "I'll be in bed now…invite me to the funeral Gar…yea mom I'll put Tom away for the night, bye Raven!"

Garfield seemed to realize his mistake and started to slowly back away from the advancing Raven. She lunged at Gar and he started running.

More yelling, this time with Gar screaming he was sorry and Raven with death threats. Luke and Marie sat on the couch together. Luke wrapped his arm around his wife and pulled her close. Marie relaxed and leaned against him, he grinned into her hair.

"She's just like you said Luke…" Marie murmured, "When I saw her this morning…well…I thought I was seeing a ghost."

Luke nuzzled the top of Maire's head as he responded.

"Yea…but…in a way Raven is Arella's ghost. They are exactly alike."

More screams sounded around them. They both chuckled lightly.

"Gar! Walk Raven home, alright!" Luke yelled as Marie and he snuggled on the couch.

"Or in both your cases run! Run kitty, run like the bloody wind!" Will shouted, his voice muffled, making him sound like he was outside.

"Will! We're Irish, not British!" sounded Meg.

"ARGH!"

"You die tonight Garfield Mark Logan!"

"How do you know my middle name!"

The door slammed open then a few seconds later after the scuffling feet then the door slamming close.

Luke and Marie, still lying together on the couch, gave each other knowing looks. Will was laughing hysterically outside while he smoked and Meg…was…well trying to sleep, as well as Grandma, who was already out like a light.

"Shut the hell up, will ya! I'm trying to sleep!"

Luke grinned at the sounds of his insane household and sighed.

"Young love…"

"…No matter how many times you deny it…you're a romantic at heart."

"Naw Marie, just a matchmaker."

* * *

The cool crisp air stung Raven's lungs, most likely Gar's too.

_He's pretty damn fast!_

The cool wind blew Raven's odd hair around as well as Gar's. Her lungs burned and she couldn't feel her face.

_Just end this pointless chase…for god's sake…_

Raven suddenly put on a burst of speed and was a foot behind Garfield. Raven let out a war cry and jumped, Gar turned at the instant she yelled and was tackled onto his back in the middle of the dirty city street.

_Ugh…lungs…pain…feels like I had half that bottle of vodka…_

Both teens refused to move, even though they were in a pretty amusing situation. Raven was sprawled across Gar's chest, which was heaving along with hers.

_Straight…_

Raven had her hand over his heart, she felt him move, looking at her head probably, then felt his heart work double time. She looked at him and noticed his deep blush. Raven felt the burn in her chest dull to a throb and she stood up silently, staring at Garfield.

…_I think I should go home now…_

Raven turned without a word, while Gar stood up quickly and followed her at a distance. Raven gave him a look after a while that clearly said, 'what the fuck do you think your doing?' Gar ignored her warning look and walked up beside her. Raven growled and tried to stalk away, but he had longer legs and kept up easy.

"Where you going Raven…?" Gar asked with an innocent tone.

"Home, we do have school tomorrow…no…scratch that, a few hours. I don't feel like staying out anyway."

"The storm stopped…"

"Your point being?"

"Why not go to the show?"

Raven turned and gave Garfield a dull look, the kind cows have then you poke them nonstop.

"What," Raven asked slowly, "Show are you talking about?"

Garfield gave a huge grin, seemingly happy to get her attention.

"The show! At the old warehouse downtown? You know, the place they hold all those bingo games for the old people?"

"Why would I want to spend the night in warehouse when I could be home in my bed, reading or doing something productive…" Raven and Garfield walked up the block to Raven's house, Kori's lights were out.

"Well, there's a show tomorrow! Go then, it's at seven, on till about midnight. Ten bucks to get in but totally worth it. Metal music, punk rock, all the good stuff!"

Walking up Raven's driveway, the light in the living room was on.

"Leave me be. You're not going in my house."

"Aww, Raven isn't it common courtesy to invite someone into your house when they walk you home?"

Raven stopped dead at the sight of someone moving by the living room window.

_Oh shit. I am so dead…I need to get Garfield outta here…_

Thinking rapidly, what were all guys afraid of?

_Fathers…_

Raven turned from the front door to the grinning Garfield and gave him a cold smirk.

"Sure, you can meet my dad…you know…the one that almost killed that guy a few years ago? At the middle school conference?

Gar's grin died instantly and he turned paper white. The door knob rattled. They both looked at it.

"Yea well, sorry Rae-VEN!" Gar started walking backwards down the driveway, onto the block. "My parents will probably be pissed bout me running outta the house, night! See ya in a few hours!"

As he went streaking down the street the door jerked open, Raven felt numb, she always felt numb before her father beat her senseless. Like her body tried to dull the pain, if only for a little while.

"…Where the fuck have you been you little whore!" Trigon shouted. Garfield turned back with a startled look on his face, he stopped in the street. No one in any of the houses dared to go out. If they heard the shouting at all…except Garfield

He wasn't going to move.

Raven stayed silent and had her back to her father, she looked straight at Garfield, willing him to go home, forget about her…

Raven was on the balls of her feet, ready to run at a short notice, she kept bending and straightening her knees, loosing up her leg muscles for a sprint.

_I am not getting beat tonight._

Garfield gave her a confused look, he started toward her then stopped as a car came down the road. He waved at them, still looking at Raven, who had started to breath deeply.

_Not tonight._

She knew something was going to happen, she felt like a fight was going to happen, she started shaking and her adrenaline poured though her body.

_Make one move toward me dad…I dare you._

Her thoughts seemed more violent then usual. Like there was someone else in there.

The edges of her view started to redden.

…_fight…_

Trigon growled and shoved Raven into the driveway she fell but quickly stood and got into a stance, still looking at the car and Garfield. She started shaking, her hands wouldn't stay still.

Gar had waved down the car, out stepped a stoned faced Luke and a worried Marie. Luke took one look at the semi-crazed Raven and Trigon, who had raised his hard fist to the back of his daughters head.

…_stop him…fight back…_

"Stop Trigon."

Trigon snarled and slammed his fist down on Raven's shoulder; it wasn't hard, just a warning shot.

_Fight…_

But the demon had been released, red flooded her vision.

_For fucks sake FIGHT!_

"Stop! Now! Oh fuck…Raven! Don't!"

Raven didn't fall from the hit, she turned and crashed her own fist into Trigon's enlarged nose.

_**Crack!**_

Raven felt the bone crack in between her knuckles. The bone and cartilage resisted till Raven stepped into her punch, putting her whole 133 pounds behind it. The sound it made was a sickening crunch and her fathers howl filled the silent night air, she was shoved back into the middle of the road. Luke was walking toward Trigon and Garfield and his mother were running toward her. The adrenaline faded, pain returned along with her normal vision. Her shoulder throbbed, even though her father didn't hit with all his might it still hurt. If he did hit her harder, her arm wouldn't be in her socket.

Raven was afraid; her father was going to kill her, if not tonight then before the end of the week.

Gar and Marie were about ten feet away when Raven jumped up and ran into the house, she went right up to her room and locked the door. To enforce the lock she rammed the desk chair against the knob and went back for her book case when a voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"It's ok Raven. He deserved it," Luke's voice was soft, "The ambulance is coming and the cops will want you with someone for the night."

"…"

"You can stay with us for the night, well what's left of it."

"…no…" She whispered.

_They've done so much already…why waste more of their time on me?_

"Yes Raven, just for the night…please…open the door."

Raven reluctantly moved the chair out of the way and unlocked it. Luke and Garfield were standing outside. She gave them and even look, Gar had a mix of emotions in his face but Luke was stone.

"Pack, and bring your book bag. You do have school…" Luke said and then he gave her a small smile and winked at her.

"One hell of a punch ya got there kiddo!"

Raven snarled at him as he went back down the stairs. Garfield looked at her, almost like he was evaluating her.

"…I'm sorry Raven," Garfield said, his voice was sincere. She gave him calm look, though her heart soared for some reason, and evenly spoke.

"As am I Garfield…as am I…"

* * *

The car ride to the Logan house was quiet. Raven hadan extrabackpack filled with a days worth of clothing and her laptop. Her books were at the Logan's home, along with the vodka.

…_why do they want to help me?_

Marie kept looking her over, almost like she was looking for injuries. The only this Raven had was a pretty bruised knuckle and a sore shoulder. Garfield didn't meet Raven's eyes; he stared out the window until they pulled into the driveway. As Raven reached for he bag Garfield took it and slung it over his shoulder. Luke excused himself for bed as Marie told Garfield to take Raven to her room.

Raven studied her feet as the family talked by the stairs. Deep snores came from the living room.

_William perhaps…_

Marie kissed Garfield on the cheek and then did the same for Raven, only she hugged her too. Raven froze and her eyes widened.

…_Mom always did this to me before I went to sleep…_

It felt odd to Raven; she never let anyone touch her. People didn't want to touch her unless they were going to hit her. Except Kori, but she was the first person to hug her for about six years. It felt…nice to be hugged by someone again…

_Almost like mom…_

Marie pulled back and went with Luke down the hall, presumably to their room.

Garfield had a soft smile on his face when he look at Raven's confused one. He gently placed his hand on Raven's uninjured shoulder and she jumped, but he kept his hand their firmly.

"Come on Raven, I'll show you to your room," Gar said, steering Raven up the stairs. "We don't know how long you're going to be here, Dad might file charges or something."

Raven nodded and followed Gar to the top of the stairs. A long hall was the sight that greeted her, doors on both sides, one with a stop sign on it, a real stop sign. Raven eyed the sign and looked at the sheepish Garfield.

"Yea, that's my room…umm…the sign was a gift from at friend…" He mumbled and went the door next to his. Raven shook her head and sighed.

_Can't he come up with better excuses?_

Gar opened the door and stepped inside toward what looked like never-ending darkness. A click sounded and the room was lit up with a dim light. Gar gently placed the backpack onto the bed, next to her school one,and turned toward Raven expectantly.

She walked in and looked around her new room. It had black walls and two windows. Both of which led out to the roof of the house. A plain twin bed with extra pillows lay in the corner, by the window.

_Easy to climb out…_

Raven set her bag on the springy bed and gave Garfield a look. He blinked and blushed.

"Sure ya wanna go to sleep now huh? Well…umm… bathroom is right next door to you and I'm over here if you need me." Raven didn't move, she just kept staring. Studing him.

Gar scratched the back of his head and closed the door softly.

_...shit…_

Raven contemplated throwing her back pack through the door and then brutally attacking Garfield. Then she would repeatedly slam his head against the ground and laugh like hyena.

_The Logan's are breaking the walls in me down; him more so then the others. _

Funny thing was, she had no idea why.

_...Did I get hit in the head?_


	10. Rant with AN

Le gasp! Have I updated?

No.

I haven't…

Well…not really.

I am so sorry for not updating in 2 weeks like I said I would. But… right now though…I have lost the will to do anything.

My mother tried to committed suicide on Tuesday, July 19, 2005.

She purposely took to many of her meds, trying to kill herself. She died on Wednesday, July 20, 2005 at 10:30 A.M. in Warwick Hospital in the ICU….room 302…. She got her last rites and was unconsiius the eniter time. Her heart rate, when we arrived, was 40. Within one hour she was down to 0.

I was with her when she died… holding her hand…but…I feel so guilty. I never got to say I loved her, how sorry I was for being a bitch… the last thing I ever said to her was leave me alone…

How stupid could I be?

Anyway, my mothers' death has shaken me up tremendously. I am questioning why we are here, why loved ones must die…stupid…

I am very depressed. I was so close to her…she planned to kill herself… she wrote a note to me dad and my sister… about how she thought she was a horrible mom…oh god… I never got to talk to her about collage…never got to watch Dog with her… never….

I'm so sorry for ranting when you want a fanfic update.

But it may be a while…I have 4 pages already, maybe in two weeks I can put up the new chapter.

You may notice my writing becoming darker, very dark. I'm sorry…

Here's a little snippet of the next chapter…just to let you know I'm working on it as best I can.

Raven was always good at sneaking around, being stealthy like. Ever since she was born she had learned to hid from her father, even her mother had given her a few hints.

_Pretty funny since the adults are supposed to discourage that kind of stuff._

She was bullied ever since she started school, she learned to hide in closets and rooms without being seen or heard.

Sneaking out was not a hard thing to do. Garfield had instantly gone to his room after running from Raven, and from the snores in the other room he fell asleep the second his head hit the pillow.

The window opened without a squeak and Raven stepped out onto the roof, almost slipping down. The roof was wet from the miniature storm earlier, so Raven couldn't sit and couldn't move without taking caution. Raven sighed and slid down to the edge of the roof. She looked down, only about a 15 foot drop.

_Great... _

Raven then went to the corner of the roof and grabbed hold of the drain pipe. She gave a little tug and it barely budged. Raven jumped onto it and slid down, fireman style. The second her feet hit the ground she bolted. She didn't know where she was going or why, all she knew was she needed to get away from everything.

Walking briskly with her head down and her hood up Raven looked like she was up to no good.

_Then again, who knows if I am._

Raven shoved her hands into the front pouch of her sweatshirt and continued on. Cars flew by in a flash, people eyed her with caution, dealers eyed her up, and cops were no where near her. It was two in the morning and people were already up and about, not a lot, but enough to make Raven wish for silence and solitude. She took a turn into an alleyway and finally looked up. She was close to the abandoned graphitized house Luke had shown her years before. She hesitated.

_...Well... I don't have anything better to do for three or so hours. And I sure as hell can't go back to sleep..._

Raven, now with a destination in mind, walked slowly and surely. No need to rush. The cool morning air was gentle on her body and lungs. As she started to jog through the rest of the ally she realized how long it was since she actually exercised.

And somehow she managed to stay underweight.

She broke into a run for about four blocks till she stopped, trying to catch her breath. Her chest heaved and her legs burned.

_Gotta remember to stretch next time..._

The building looked the same as it was when Luke showed it to her those years ago. Just dirtier and with more 'art' on it. And the garbage. Can't forget the garbage. Raven silently walked toward the gate surrounding it. She went all the way into the shadows to the right of the building and ran her hands along the fence.

_Come on... where is it... ah..._

Raven found a tilted slit in the metal and tugged it back with a grunt. She ran her hands again and tugged on another part of the fence. She continued until a small hole was right in front of her. Raven smirked and shoved herself through. A sharp edge of the metal went through her jacket and clear across her shoulder. She bit back a small scream and settled for a groan.

_Stupid once again Roth..._

Raven went through more slowly and wound up with only her shoulder and jacket as a casualty. She sighed and looked at the cut. It was bleeding but it wouldn't leave a scar or kill her so Raven strolled along the messy yard of the building.

It was about 7 stories tall and was the same rust color as the buildings around it. Garbage littered the yard, a cardboard box here, an old gun there... and a box with holes in in on the front porch. Raven gave it a second glace before stepping over it.

"Mrow," Raven gasped and fell backwards. She looked around the yard before another scratching noise made her find the culprit.

The box with holes in it had something, or things, alive in it.

Raven blinked and crawled to the wiggling box. She tore the taped top off it to find five fuzzy faces looking at her with silted eyes.

"Oh shit," Raven said.

After picking out another box and shoving holes into it she gently placed the five kittens into their temporary home. She crouched down and stared at the underfed kitties. Then she closed the top and put it under her arm as she moved the boards on the front door enough so she could get through.

She walked into the place she dubbed as the living room and sat down cautiously on a rotting chair. A table being held up with a baseball bat nailed into the floor held the circular surface up. Raven opened the box and pulled out the kittens one by one, studying them.

The first kitten up instantly reminded Raven of Kori. He, Raven checked, had almost the same colored eyes as Kori. It also had the same innocent look as her. He squeaked as Raven picked her up to examine him. From the looks of it, the kitten seemed to be an orange tabby cat. But it also had the look of a maine coon, a really big and fluffy tail, so Raven guessed that all the cats were mixed breeds. Strips along the small body of the cat gave the impression of a VERY small tiger. Raven gently set the kitten onto the table and watched as it sniffed, around and then laid down, curling into a ball. Raven turned to the box again.

The next one flew into her arms, and started purring and rubbing against her instantly.

"A...Garfield like cat... shit..."


	11. Chapter 11

Wooowwww…..so it's been about five years since I touched this story. And I'm sad about it. This was a highlight for me, reading all the reviews, writing the chapter every couple of weeks. .. I think the last time I seriously tried to write anything for this story was when I was 14. I'm 21 now.

Last week I don't really know what made me do it but I had to search for my own story, and I read it. I read all of it…and I have to admit I hated it. I could do so much better than that. I read my last two authors notes and I realized how much I grew up. It's so weird honestly. I noticed how bad my writing was too by the way. Guess when you're 13 that's what you're writing is like.

As for the story, I honestly don't remember where I was going with it. I'd like to finish this story. I really would…but I think what I'm going to do is go through it chapter by chapter and fix all my mistakes, try and make this a good story. Over the next few weeks I'll be replacing the chapters with my rewritten ones. I also need to figure out how has changed with the uploading and stuff.

Know what keeps amazing me though? People still review and leave nice comments for me, asking about me and the story. That's what's making me do this, it's all you people who are reading this now who read it 4 or 5 years ago when I first started.

Let's see if I can get those creative juices flowing again!


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